Effects of alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone on fever caused by endotoxin in rabbits.
1. We measured the effect of intravenous and intracerebroventricular injections of alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) on changes in body temperature and serum iron concentration following i.v. injection of endotoxin in rabbits. 2. Intravenous alpha-MSH (2.5 micrograms) significantly reduced both phases of endotoxin fever and attenuated the fall in serum iron concentration which follows endotoxin injection. 3. Intracerebroventricular alpha-MSH (200 ng) reduced only the second phase of the fever and had no effect on the fall in the serum iron concentrations. 4. We conclude that alpha-MSH, in doses that are known to inhibit endogenous pyrogen fever, inhibits the fever induced by endotoxin in rabbits, probably by blocking the actions of endogenous pyrogens mediating the endotoxin fever.
Goelst
K
K
Department of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Medical School, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Mitchell
D
D
Laburn
H
H
D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012485:Salmonella typhi; D013997:Time Factors
D004731:Endotoxins; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones; D007501:Iron