title: Effects of ritanserin, a specific serotonin-S2 receptor antagonist, on the release of anterior pituitary hormones during insulin-induced hypoglycemia in normal humans.
abstract: The role of serotonin in the insulin hypoglycemia (IH) stimulated secretion of prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH), adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol (F) was studied in a group of 12 normal subjects during the control period after placebo and a consecutive six-day treatment with 20 mg ritanserin (RIT) per day. RIT failed to affect the baseline levels of all the four hormones as well as the PRL response to IH (p > 0.5). The serum GH response to IH was moderately diminished after RIT, the reduction of integrated trapezoidal area under hormone curves (nAUC) being 50.7% +/- 6.9% (p < 0.005). Furthermore, RIT was found to slightly decrease the plasma ACTH response to IH, the reduction of nAUC being 36.3% +/- 2.6% (p < 0.005). Decrease in the corresponding plasma F response to IH was accompanied by 29.1% +/- 2.4% reduction of nAUC (p < 0.005). According to our results, serotonin-S2 receptors appeared to be moderately involved in IH-induced release of GH, but slightly in that of ACTH, leaving unaffected that of PRL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Zagreb University School of Medicine, Croatia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tepavcević
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Giljević
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aganović
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korsić
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Halimi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suchanek
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jelić
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kozić
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Plavsić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism*; D016713:Ritanserin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D016713:Ritanserin