The conquest of Addisonʹs disease

Background A review of the understanding and treatment of adrenal insufficiency was undertaken to emphasize common themes in the history of endocrine disorders. Methods Literature survey. Results: The presence of the adrenal glands, initially ignored by anatomists, was first described by Eustachius and later confirmed by Casserius. Bartholin identified the glands as ductless. In 1855, Thomas Addison described the clinical syndrome of adrenal insufficiency. Medullary hormonal effects were described by Oliver and Shäfer in 1895; epinephrine was isolated by Takamini, and the secretory patterns were characterized by Cannon. Cortical function was elucidated by Biedl and Stewart and Rogoff, and the first cortical hormones were synthesized by Reichenstein. Hormonal replacement therapy paved the way for the first bilateral adrenalectomy, which was performed in 1950. Conclusions This review underscores the historical themes in endocrine diseases: discovery of the glands, identification of their hormonal products, use of the hormones for therapy, and biosynthesis for pharmacologic applications.