Pat Cooley, age 11, of Florissant, Mo., for his question:

HOW IS ADRENALIN OBTAINED?

Adrenalin is a registered trade name of the drug epinephrine. It is a hormone that is generally secreted into the blood by the adrenal glands.

The drug is obtained from the glands or it may also be a synthesized product with the same chemical formula as the hormone. In the body, epinephrine maintains blood pressure at a normal level.

A large amount of epinephrine is pumped into the body by the adrenal glands when a person becomes frightened or is angry. The hormone also causes the muscles in the walls of the arteries to contract.

Some doctors use commercial doses of epinephrine to treat severe asthma.