Comparison of porphyrin content in the cortex and medulla of the kidneys and adrenals of patients dying from chronic circulatory insufficiency.

Taking into account a correlation between the metabolism of porphyrins and hormones, and especially the metabolic interactions between the kidneys and adrenals, preliminary pilot studies were carried out on porphyrins in the kidneys and adrenals, separately in the cortex and in the medulla of these organs. The material was taken from 11 men and 8 women dying from circulatory insufficiency with vasculogenic renal fibrosis, and without changes in the adrenals. In all cases the concentration of porphyrins was much higher in the adrenals than that in the kidneys, while the content of uro-, copro-, and protoporphyrin was always higher in the adrenal medulla then that in the cortex. Discussing the results obtained the author suggest a correlation between disturbances of the reno-adrenal feedback, and an extremely increased concentration of porphyrins in the adrenal medulla which could be caused mainly by connections between the metabolism of catecholamines and porphyrins.