Adrenal Steroid Production in Rats with Alloxan Diabetes

Studies have been conducted on the effect of alloxan diabetes on adrenal steroid production. Quantitative measurements were made on incubated adrenal tissue removed from rats with acute and chronic alloxan diabetes, rats with induced hyperglycemia and hypophysectomized rats with alloxan diabetes. Alloxanized non-hypophysectomized rats had an increase in adrenal weight, and steroid production increased by 38%. Hyperglycemia induced by intraperitoneal glucose increased steroid production by 28%, while hyperglycemia following oral glucose increased neither adrenal weight nor adrenal steroid production. The hypophysectomized rats showed no increase in adrenal activity. The study indicates that alloxan diabetes produces not only enlargement of the adrenal cortex, but a quantitative increase in steroid production. It is concluded that this results from the disturbed metabolic state accompanying diabetes and an effect on the pituitary-adrenal axis, and not from any direct effect of alloxan or hyperglycemia on the adrenal cortex.