PREVENTION OF EXPERIMENTAL DIABETES WITH ADRENAL STEROIDS1

Abstract

After subtotal pancreatectomy in white rats (removal of approximate- AJL ly 95% of the pancreas), blood sugar level remains normal for a few weeks, and then diabetes develops progressively (Foglia, 1944). The administration of estrogens during six months after pancreatectomy has a preventing action on the onset of diabetes (Foglia, Schuster and Rodriguez, 1947; Lewis, Foglia and Rodriguez, 1950; Rodriquez, 1951). In alloxan diabetic rats recovery to normal glycemia can be obtained by estrogen treatment and especially by the combined treatment of estrogen and insulin (Rodriguez, 1953). The experiments here reported show that the prolonged administration of small amounts of certain adrenal corticoids has also a marked protective action on the onset of diabetes in partially pancreatectomized rats. With large amounts of adrenal steroids there is an initial increase in the incidence of diabetes which is followed by a secondary decrease.