INFLUENCE OF EPINEPHRINE AND CORTISONE ON THE METABOLISM OF THE HYPOPHYSIS AND HYPOTHALAMUS OF THE RAT1

Abstract

Subcutaneous administration of epinephrine to the rat produced a significant elevation of respiration and aerobic glycolysis in anterior pituitary and posterior hypothalamic tissue within 20 hours after injection. Similar increases in the metabolism of adenohypophyseal tissue were produced by the addition of epinephrine in vitro. Cortisone, injected intravenously, reduced the O2 consumption of anterior pituitary tissue within 4 hours. Concomitant increases in the respiration and aerobic glycolysis of posterior hypothalamic tissue were noted. Cortisone, added in vitro, depressed the metabolism of anterior and posterior hypophyseal and hypothalamic tissue, but only in large doses. It is suggested that both epinephrine and cortisone activate neurohumoral pathways in the posterior hypothalamico-adeno-hypophyseal system. The former appears to be of a stimulatory nature, while the latter is inhibitory.