PANCREATIC DIABETES AND HYPOPHYSECTOMY IN THE SNAKE XENODON MERREMII

Abstract

ABSTRACT 1. – Total pancreatectomy in Xenodon merremii produces a slight decrease in blood sugar for 1–3 days, and later on a progressive increase until a diabetic level (5–6 times higher than the normal was reached). 2. – Removal of 83–88 % of the pancreatic mass produces no changes in the blood sugar level. 3. – Hypophysectomy in fasting snakes produces: progressive decrease of glycaemia, adynamia and death. 4. – Preventive hypophysectomy diminishes the increase in blood sugar after pancreatectomy. Hypophysectomy in diabetic pancreatectomized animals brings about a decrease of the glycaemia. 5. – This snake is sensitive to insulin, the effect being greater in pancreatectomized than in normal animals. 6. – Alloxan produces an initial transitory increase of glycaemia, followed by a marked and lasting hypoglycaemia. Diabetes was not observed. 7. – Carbutamide and tolbutamide produced a decrease in the blood sugar level in normal snakes, but did not diminish it in the pancreatectomized animals. 8. – Glucagon has a powerful and very lasting hyperglycaemic action in the snakes. 9. – The glucose tolerance curve has a long duration in normal snakes and is even more prolonged in the pancreatectomized snakes. 10. – Cortisol had a transitory hyperglycaemic action in normal and totally pancreatectomized snakes. Somatotrophin only has this action in the pancreatectomized animals.