CHAPTER XII 



THE EFFECTS OF EXTRACTS OF THE PARS NEU- 



RALIS ON THE METABOLISM OF WATER, 



MINERALS, CARBOHYDRATES, 



AND FATS 



THE direct effects of a subcutaneous dose of a pos- 

 terior-lobe extract (including those of separated 

 oxytocic and vasopressor principles) on the general 

 metabolism (oxygen consumption) probably are unim- 

 portant. There is very little agreement among different in- 

 vestigators as to the nature of the effects (rat: Chahovitch, 

 1930; Himwich and Haynes, 1930-31; Uyldert, 1933; man: 

 Nitzescu and Gavrilla, 1929; Schill and Fernbach, 1929; 

 Castex and Schteingart, 1930; Hartl, 1933). After the intra- 

 muscular injection of a posterior-lobe extract or the vaso- 

 pressor principle into man, the oxygen consumption at first 

 falls; the "oxygen debt" is repaid by an increased consump- 

 tion which persists over a longer period (Grollman and Ceil- 

 ing, 1932). A similar change occurs in the dog after the intra- 

 venous administration of 5-10 units of vasopressor principle 

 or posterior-lobe extract to dogs weighing 15-20 kg. (Ceiling 

 and De Lawder, 1932). An increase in the oxygen consump- 

 tion, rather than a decrease, was found to be the first effect 

 of the oxytocic principle. 



Ceiling and De Lawder (1932-33) have studied the tension 

 of oxygen and carbon dioxide as well as the concentration of 

 glucose, lactic acid, and inorganic phosphate in the blood of 

 the femoral artery and vein of unanesthetized dogs after the 

 intravenous administration of various posterior-lobe extracts. 

 The initial effect of the vasopressor principle was apparently 

 to alter tissue respiration (as if anaerobic metabolism was 



[35H 



