In an in vitro system, we have demonstrated concomitant release of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) from the median eminence (ME) of normal and adrenalectomized rats. The ME were incubated in a Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate medium, CRF and AVP released into the medium were measured by radioimmunoassay. The release of both neuropeptides was stimulated by increasing concentrations of potassium (28-56 mM) in the incubation medium, or by addition of veratridine (5-20 microM). In both cases the release process was dependent on the presence of calcium in the incubation medium. Interestingly, potassium-induced release was found to be relatively insensitive to calcium channel antagonists that are potent inhibitors in smooth and cardiac muscle. The sodium channel antagonist, tetrodotoxin (1 microM), completely blocked the effect of veratridine, while no change was seen in the response to potassium. Adrenalectomy increased the ratio of AVP:CRF release from 2:1 in ME removed from sham-operated rats to 8:1 in ME from the adrenalectomized group. We suggest that this ratio of AVP:CRF release may also pertain in vivo, and that AVP could be the predominant corticotropic stimulus in adrenalectomized rats.