METABOLISM AND THE PARS GLANDULARIS 



extensive data have been gathered. The experimental evi- 

 dence at hand does not justify the belief that the anterior 

 lobe secretes a separate hormone which increases the rate at 

 which fat is metabolized. In fact, the data have also been 

 interpreted as indicating the opposite effect — an interference 

 with the metabolism of fats. 



A lipemia, which may be very marked, has been observed 

 in the rabbit and dog after the administration of anterior- 

 lobe extracts (which cause hyperglycemia and glycosuria as 

 well). Simultaneously, there also occurs a ketonuria (Bau- 

 mann and Marine, 1933; Evans, 1933; Houssay and others, 

 1933). Munoz (1933) stated that, although the injection of 

 an alkaline anterior-lobe extract into the dog for 5 days might 

 cause an increase in the concentration of fatty acids, choles- 

 terol, or phospholipin in the blood,''' hypophysectomy was 

 followed by little change, if any. Rietti (1934) found that 

 hypophysectomy in the dog was followed by a slight fall in 

 the amount of acetone bodies excreted in the urine. 



In 1930 Burn and Ling (also 1933) injected an extract 

 of the pars glandularis (ox) into rats (body-weight, 120- 

 180 g.) on a diet of butter. Chiefly in the 24 hours following 

 an injection, there occurred an increase in the urinary excre- 

 tion of acetone bodies by female rats (seven of twelve ani- 

 mals) but not by males (five animals). One year later, xAnsel- 

 mino and Hoffmann (1931) described a "fat-metabolism 

 hormone" which caused an increase in the amount of acetone 

 bodies in the blood of the rat.^° At the time of the maximum 

 change — about 2 hours after injection — the concentration of 

 the acetone bodies had risen from an initial value of about 



4 mg, per cent to about 12 mg. per cent. Most of the change 

 was attributed to an increase in the concentration of 18 



" In no case was the concentration increased more than 76 per cent. Consider- 

 able changes were caused by extracts of the kidney. 



^"The effect was obtained by injecting the equivalent of 3 mg. of anterior 

 pituitary "acetone-powder." A similar change was produced by the injection of 



5 rat-units of prolan. 



[295] 



