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Potassium Tolerance Tests in South Indian People

Nature volume 187, pages 328–329 (1960)Cite this article

Abstract

POTASSIUM tolerance in man was studied by Zwemer and Truskowski1 in relation to adrenal gland activity. After an oral intake of 20 mgm. of potassium chloride/kgm. body-weight, no rise of the plasma potassium-level is observed in normal Europeans, while a rise of 30 per cent or more is established in cases of cortical insufficiency. Accordingly, Henrotte (unpublished work) found a mean rise of 6 per cent in 12 healthy Belgian students. However, in Dakar, Leschi2 obtained, in the same experimental conditions, an average of 4.1 ± 4.8 and 13 ± 8.1 per cent, respectively, for the maximal rise in potassium of 6 Europeans and 32 Negroes of male sex. Consequently, I suggest the occurrence of a lower cortical metabolism in Negroes and its relation with the pigmentation.

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References

  1. Zwemer, R. L., and Truskowski, R., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biochem. and Med., 35, 424 (1936).

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  2. Leschi, J., “Races melanodermes et leucodermes”, Thèse sciences (1951) (Masson, Paris, 1952).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Physiology and Biochemistry, Madras Medical College, Madras

    J. G. HENROTTE, G. KRISHNAMURTHI & G. RANGANATHAN

  2. Laboratoire de Pathologie et Thérapeutique générales, University of Liège,

    J. G. HENROTTE, G. KRISHNAMURTHI & G. RANGANATHAN

Authors
  1. J. G. HENROTTE
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  2. G. KRISHNAMURTHI
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  3. G. RANGANATHAN
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HENROTTE, J., KRISHNAMURTHI, G. & RANGANATHAN, G. Potassium Tolerance Tests in South Indian People. Nature 187, 328–329 (1960). https://doi.org/10.1038/187328a0

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