Abstract
PRELIMINARY investigations in this laboratory showed that when synthetic oxytocin was administered intravenously to puerperal women at dosages between 10 mµ and 400 mµ/kg body-weight there occurred consistent increases in plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) in association with delayed hypoglycæmia1. (The synthetic oxytocin (‘Syntocinon’) was kindly supplied by Dr. R. Bircher, medical director, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals, Hanover, New Jersey.) It was also shown that similar responses of NEFA and blood sugar follow oxytocin treatment in normal non-pregnant women without relation to pregnancy2. In the latter subjects the hypoglycæmia was attended by consistent and significant falls in plasma inorganic phosphorus in contrast to small irregular increases occurring in puerperal women. These differences in phosphorus responses suggested the possibility of different mechanisms for the hypoglycæmia, but in both categories of subjects the blood sugar decreases were characteristic.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Burt, R. L., Leake, N. H., and Dannenburg, W. N., Nature, 198, 293 (1963).
Burt, R. L., Leake, N. H., and Dannenburg, W. N., Obstet. and Gynec., 21, 708 (1963).
Mirsky, I. A., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. and Med., 110, 42 (1962).
Mirsky, I. A., Amer. J. Physiol., 204, 842 (1963).
Chaudhury, R. R., and Nayyar, P. P., Toxicol. and App. Pharm., 4, 174 (1962).
Somogyi, M., J. Biol. Chem., 86, 655 (1930).
Nelson, N., J. Biol. Chem., 153, 375 (1944).
Dole, V. P., J. Clin. Invest., 35, 150 (1956).
Gordon, jun., R. S., and Cherkes, A., J. Clin. Invest., 35, 206 (1956).
Dole, V. P., Bierman, E. L., and Roberts, T. N., J. Clin. Invest., 36, 884 (1957).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
BURT, R., LEAKE, N. & DANNENBURG, W. Sex Differences in Metabolic Effects of Oxytocin. Nature 201, 829–830 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/201829a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/201829a0
This article is cited by
-
Metabolic Effects of Oxytocin in the Chicken
Nature (1964)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.