INSULIN SENSITIVITY OF THE EXTRAHEPATIC TISSUES OF THE ADRENALECTOMIZED RAT

Abstract

Female Long-Evans strain rats were adrenalectomized and maintained with 1.5% saline, 1 mg. DCA/day or 3 mg. DCA/ day. After evisceration, control rats survived longer and had a slower fall in blood-sugar than did the adrenalectomized. Functional nephrectomy resulted in a shortening of survival time of both normal and adrenalectomized animals. Insulin (0.01 and 0.02 cc./kg. body wt.) given to eviscerated normal and adrenalectomized (maintained on 3 mg. DCA/day) rats caused an acceleration of blood-sugar fall. The sensitivity to insulin pf peripheral tissues of adrenalectomized rats is about 1.5 times that of the normal control. The insulin hypersensitivity (5-20 times) of intact adrenalectomized or hypophysectomized animals depends, therefore, largely upon the presence of a functioning liver. It is presumed that the anti-insulin activity of the adrenal cortex is exerted primarily through its ability to increase the rate of conversion of noncarbohydrate foodstuffs to glucose.