PARS GLANDULARIS AND METABOLISM 



subcutaneously into rabbits, there is definitely less hypo- 

 glycemia produced by a subsequent dose of insulin. This 

 finding suggested that diabetes in the aged may be the result 

 of a relative excess of diabetogenic hormone in the body 

 fluids, because the serum of normal individuals or of young 

 people with diabetes produced almost no antagonism of in- 

 sulin.^'' 



Anselmino and Hoffmann (1936), Anselmino and Rhoden 

 (1936), and Anselmino (1937) detected "carbohydrate- 

 metabolism hormone" of the anterior pituitary by the de- 

 crease of hepatic glycogen following administration to rats. 

 In terms of such an effect, the substance has been detected 

 in the serum and urine of young persons with severe diabetes 

 and in the serum of normal individuals or dogs after the ad- 

 ministration of 125-150 gm. of glucose by mouth. The latter 

 change is said not to occur if fat also is fed or if large doses 

 of insulin are given. ^' Anselmino and Hoffmann have not 

 defined in terms of accurate experiments how "carbohydrate- 

 metabolism hormone" is related to the diabetogenic hormone 

 of the majority of authors (see also the report of Anselmino 

 and Hoffmann as published in 1935). Future work must de- 

 cide whether or not "carbohydrate-metabolism hormone" 

 really exists. This is doubted by Singer and Taubenhaus 

 (1937). Diabetes mellitus in relation to "carbohydrate- 

 metabolism" and "fat-metabolism" hormones is discussed by 

 Anselmino and Hoffmann (1935-36) and Effkemann (1936). 



In general, diabetogenic extracts of the anterior pituitary 

 do not readily produce changes which can be attributed to 

 antihormone-formation. Although the effects of an extract 



^^ Hahndel (1935) stated that the cerebrospinal fluid of normal men, if 

 injected intravenously into rabbits, does not affect the level of the blood sugar. 

 However, if insulin be injected first, the cerebrospinal fluid then causes hyper- 

 glycemia which the author attributes to contra-insulin hormone liberated into 

 the cerebrospinal fluid. 



^^ The serum of cattle suffering from "paresis puerperalis" — vegetative endo- 

 carditis with an associated disturbance of mineral metabolism — is reported to pro- 

 duce a decrease of the concentration of liver glycogen in rats without affecting the 

 blood-sugar level (Seekles, 1937). 



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