EFFECT OF ADRENALECTOMY UPON THE TOLERANCE OF THE EVISCERATED RAT FOR INTRAVENOUSLY ADMINISTERED GLUCOSE

Abstract

Male rats (185-205 g.) of the Sprague-Dawley strain were caused to develop a collateral circulation by ligation of the inferior vena cava. At a wt. of 250 [plus or minus] 2 g., the animals were anesthetized (cyclopal), and all of the intra-abdominal organs were removed except the kidneys. The adrenal glands were removed in one animal of each pair in the same operation. Infusions into the saphenous vein were made by continuous injn. machines which delivered fluid at the rate of 20 ml. in 24 hrs./rat. The level of blood glucose at the end of the injn. period was the index of glucose tolerance. In expt. 1, 4 groups of rats having 20 pairs of rats in each group were infused with glucose with and without insulin for a period of 4 hrs. One rat of each pair was adrenalectomized. At each glucose load with and without insulin, the avg. level of blood glucose at the end of 4 hrs. was significantly lower in the adrenalectomized than in the non -adrenalectomized animals.