title: Evaluation of combined adrenal demedullation and chronic guanethidine treatment as a sympathectomy procedure for metabolic studies.
abstract: The usefulness of a combination of adrenal demedullation and treatment with guanethidine (25 mg kg-1 day-1, i.p. for 14 days) as a sympathectomy procedure for metabolic studies was investigated in the rat. The procedure reduced markedly or abolished pressor and positive chronotropic responses to tyramine, nicotine or electrical stimulation of the sympathetic spinal outflow. Hyperglycaemic responses to nicotine or spinal sympathetic stimulation were abolished. Nicotine infusion in intact animals reduced glucose-induced hyperinsulinaemia. On the other hand nicotine infusion in sympathectomized animals produced a marked elevation in glucose-induced hyperinsulinaemia relative to that seen in intact animals. The early hyperinsulinaemic response to glucose infusion during sympathetic stimulation was markedly greater in sympathectomized rats compared with that seen in intact rats. The sympathectomy procedure did not modify the glycaemic responses to adrenaline or insulin or glucose-induced hyperinsulinaemia.
mesh_terms: D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000601:surgery*; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D006145:Guanethidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013562:Sympathectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013563:Sympathectomy, Chemical; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D014439:Tyramine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D009538:Nicotine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D014439:Tyramine; D006145:Guanethidine