抄録
Since the experiments of Houssay and Lukens et al., it is generally accepted that the hypophyseo-adrenal system plays an important role for the development of insular diabetes. However the mechanism of development of disease has not yet been elucidated entirely. The studies, having been proceeded for the purpose of investigating the influence of adrenectomy and hypophysectomy on the alloxan-diabetes, from such a viewpoint, are not systematic and lack in histological observations of experimental animals. So the author carried out an elaborate experiment of the longest duration possible in order to investigate the influence of adrenectomy upon the alloxan-diabetes. In 22 of adrenectomized rabbits, after observing their condition for 3 or 4 days, alloxan was injected by the same method as described in the former chapter and both the blood sugar curve and histological changes were examined systematically.
The results are briefly as follows:
1) In the cases of alloxan-injection to the previously adrenectomized rabbits, the blood sugar curve showed disappearance or extremely slight appearance of the 1st phase of reaction. Then the 2nd phase appeared more earlier as compared with the control group of rabbits, showing severe hypoglycemia, while the 3rd phase was slight and nondiabetic.
2) The histological changes of the islets of Langerhans of pancreas in these rabbits were the same as those of the control group of rabbits in alloxan-diabetes, as described in the former chapter. And, moreover, they were characteristic of each phase of the blood sugar curve of the control group.
3) Such changes of the other endocrine organs as observed in the control group were not seen in this group.
4) The so-called diabetic histological changes, such as glycogen degeneration of the kidney, were not seen in the general organs. Some slight non-specific changes in these organs might be considered as being secondary ones related to the adrenectomy.
5) It became clear, from the facts mentioned above, that the adrenectomy can inhibit, at least, the increase of blood sugar in the alloxan-diabetes. This might be owing to the lack of some adreno-corticai hormone (A. C. H.), which elevates the blood sugar positively. Taking account of the histological changes together, it is also suggested that the mechanism of development of insular diabes is initiated not only by the disturbance of the beta cells of islets of Langerhans of pancreas but also by the subsequent disorder of mutual functions of the endocrine organs.
