The Effect of Reserpine on Adrenal Medulla of the Pigeon-a Cytochemical Investigation

In the present report the localization and concentration of cytochemically demonstrable adrenaline and noradrenaline in the suprarenal medulla of normal and reserpine-treated pigeons have been described.It has been found that even a very minute dose (.05 mg/100 gm b. wt.) of reserpine can cause an almost total depletion of noradrenaline. Along with this a loss of adrenaline from the core of individual cords is also noticed. It is interesting to note that considerably high dosages (.80 mg-1.70 mg) of reserpine are unable to cause depletion of adrenaline from the peripheral zone of the chromaffin cords. The differential response of adrenaline and noradrenaline to reserpine in the pigeon suprarenal medulla has been pointed out and discussed in the light of current researches.