Skin Changes After Subcutaneous Injection of Epinephrine

The study investigates the effects of subcutaneous epinephrine injections on skin changes in rats, revealing that epinephrine's vasoconstrictive properties can lead to significant skin reactions, including hair loss, necrosis, and gangrene. The experiment involved 42 rats and varied doses of epinephrine, diluted with isotonic sodium chloride. Results indicated that the skin changes were primarily due to the epinephrine itself rather than its acidity, as a control group injected with equivalent acidity showed only slight hair loss and no necrosis. This suggests that the method of administration and absorption rate significantly impact epinephrine's local and systemic effects.