Intestinal absortion of sugars in the toad with hypophyseal or adrenal insufficiency

Abstract

The toad Bufo arenarum Hensel, is the zoological species in which the greatest number of symptoms due to extirpation of the whole hypophysis or of only one of its two lobes havebeen observed. This animal reacts strongly and quickly to the implantation or injection of pituitary substances which can either pre vent and correct the symptoms of insufficiency or producemanifestations of hyper function of the gland. Houssay (I) has summarized these studies. Asthenia is one of the most characteristic signs of hypophyseal insufficiency in this toad. The asthenia involves the locomotor system, smooth muscle organs and heart. It is apparently due to profound metabolic disturbances which lead to death in nearly all cases 2 to 6 weeks afterremoval of the hypophysis. The asthenia is also observed in other batrachians, but it is particularly characteristic in Bufo arenarum due to its severity and prolonged period of evolution (2–6).