The Effect of Synthalin a on Blood Sugar in Dairy Cattle

Abstract

The importance of the pancreatic hormones insulin and glucagon and the balance between them in bovine ketosis was not investigated. Synthalin A was shown in rabbits to damage the postulated site of glucagon production in the pancreas and pancreatic extracts of rabbits so treated have been devoid of glucagon activity. Therefore synthalin A was used to see if the bovine blood glucose level is similarly affected. In calves dosages of 1 mg/lb. body weight given intramuscularly had little effect. A dosage of 1.3 mg/lb. resulted in an initial hyperglycemia following by a marked hypoglycemia, but levels as low as the reported in cows with ketosis were not approached. At 1.5 mg/lb. dosages, or above, blood levels of glucose were lowered to less than 40 mg % (some were near 10 mg %). A dosage of 1 mg/lb. in the mature cow had an apparent hyperglycemic effect, but no hypoglycemia resulted. When 1.4 mg/lb. were injected, a pronounced initial hyperglycemia was followed by a marked hypoglycemia. The blood glucose levels of the mature and immature bovine are drastically affected by synthalin A.