THE PITUITARY BODY 



in the urine (e.g., one-third less) than normal dogs, especially 

 if fasted. On a diet of meat, the hypophysectomized dog 

 excretes about one-fourth less creatinine than the normal 

 dog (Braier, 1931; Houssay, 1932). The concentration of 

 amino-acids in the blood is about the same in hypophysecto- 

 mized or normal dogs; hkewise the rate of disappearance of 

 glycocoll, injected intravenously, is about the same (Re, 

 I932).^5 



The important effect of anterior pituitary extracts on the 

 protein metabolism is to alter the nitrogen balance in a posi- 

 tive direction. This is largely due to a diminished excretion 

 of urea; also, there is a simultaneous fall in the concentration 

 of the various substances making up the non-protein nitro- 

 gen of the blood (Teel and Gushing, 1930; Gaebler, 1933; and 

 others). The same effects are observed in thyroparathyroid- 

 ectomized dogs (Gaebler, 1935). Gaebler observed no nota- 

 ble change in the creatinine excretion of dogs which had 

 received anterior pituitary extract. In the male or female 

 rabbit, however, the excretion of creatinine in the urine may 

 be increased about 25 per cent following the injection of 

 anterior-lobe extract (Schrire and Zwarenstein, 1933-34). In 

 gonadectomized rabbits, in which the rate of creatinine excre- 

 tion is much higher than in normal animals, the extract has 

 no appreciable effect. (Schittenhelm and Biihler [1935] be- 

 lieved that in man the anterior pituitary may be responsible 

 for increases in the excretion of creatinine which normally is 

 low because of the inhibiting effect of the internal secretions 

 of the gonads.) 



According to many clinical reports, the specific dynamic 

 response to proteins may be reduced or disappear in disease 

 (hypofunction) of the pituitary. ^^ Fulton and Gushing 



^5 According to Agnoli (1928-29), alipoidal extract of the pars glandularis hastens 

 the rate of catabolism of glycocoll injected intravenously into normal dogs. 



^' Examples of such reports are those of Plaut (1922); Liebesny (1925); Kestner, 

 Liebeschiitz-Plaut, and Schadow (1926); Peters (1930); and Sylla (1934). 



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