296 CORTEX 



ficially similar symptomatology. The increased susceptibility 

 to infectious disease in avitaminosis and in adrenal insufficiency 

 is only an indication of a general lowering of body-resistance — a 

 condition occasioned by a number of causes. 247 



OTHER CONSTITUENTS 



Small amounts of neurin are found in the adrenals and it has 

 been suggested 68 that epinephrine may be derived from this 

 neurin and pyrocatechol. Neurin is closely related to cholin 

 which on decomposition yields hydroxy-ethyl-amine, the side 

 group of the epinephrine molecule. 



Histamine is present in extracts of the adrenals but it is 

 probable that it is formed during extraction, from labile 

 mother-substances. It is to histamine, choline, and acetyl- 

 choline that we must attribute the fall in blood pressure ob- 

 served after injecting impure adrenal cortical extracts. 



Jecorin, originally thought to be a pure substance, was iso- 

 lated from the adrenals by Menasse, but subsequent work has 

 shown this substance to be an adsorption compound of 

 kephalin, inorganic salts, sugars, and other organic sub- 

 stances. 135 



Adrenal extracts have been shown to manifest a number of 

 enzymic actions. Thus the power of such extracts to oxidize 

 salicylic aldehyde have been attributed to the presence of an 

 aldehydase. 135 It has also been shown that the adrenals exert 

 a marked diastatic activity. 56 The distribution of the lipo- 

 lytic enzymes in the different zones of the adrenal has recently 

 been determined. 226 



The yellow color of the adrenal is due to the presence in the 

 adrenals of carotin, xanthophyll, and lipochromic substances. 

 Infiltration of lipochromes occurs in many conditions associated 

 with anatomical changes in the adrenals. The lipochromes 

 are derived from the ingested food while the melanin pigment 

 observed in the adrenals is endogenous in origin. 196 



