HYPERGLYCAEMIA PRODUCED BY THE POLYAMINES SPERMINE AND SPERMIDINE

Abstract

1 Intravenous injection of rabbits with the polyamines spermine (10–30 mg/kg) and spermidine (50–90 mg/kg) produced hyperglycaemia. 2 Given by intraventricular injection, spermine and spermidine gave rise to hyperglycaemia in doses 250–500 times smaller than those effective intravenously. 3 Intraventricular injections of the polyamines also produced hyperglycaemia in rats. Adrenal demedullation abolished the response. 4 In the rabbit, the hyperglycaemia resulting from intraventricular injection of polyamines was abolished in reserpine-treated animals. Anaesthesia had no effect on the response unless accompanied by anoxia, when the response was potentiated. 5 Intracisternal injections of the polyamines in rabbits were less effective than intraventricular injections in that doses about four times larger were required to elicit an equivalent response.