Hypoglycemia Produced by Purified Anterior Pituitary Growth Hormone and Its Relationship to the Pancreas.

Abstract

Purified anterior pituitary growth hormone exerts a potent anti-insulin action in hypophysectomized dogs. Its admn. results within 18 hrs. in a diminution of the exaggerated hypoglycemic response to insulin. Continued admn. of growth hormone abolishes the hypersensitivity to insulin. However, the 1st injn. of growth hormone to hypophysectomized dogs in the post-absorptive state results in a marked fall in blood sugar. This marked hypoglycemic response is seen only after the 1st of a series of injns. of the hormone. The failure of development of hypoglycemia after subsequent injns. is probably due, at least in part, to the development of the anti-insulin action. The hypoglycemic effect of growth hormone also occurs in acutely depancreatized, but otherwise intact, dogs. It is concluded that the presence of the pancreas is not essential for the hypoglycemic action of growth hormone.