Somatostatin as a Tool in Studies of Basal Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in Man: Modifications of Glucagon and Insulin Release

Abstract

Somatostatin (SRIF) was given to normal subjects in the fasting state as well as during glucose infusions. During basal conditions a decrease was observed in blood glucose, plasma insulin, and plasma pancreatic glucagon. Plasma free fatty acids (FFA) showed a late 50 per cent increase, beginning approximately 15 min after start of the infusion, whereas basal plasma growth hormone was unchanged. When glucose was infused in other experiments, to suppress plasma pancreatic glucagon before somatostatin administration, no fall in blood glucose was seen in five out of six experiments, and plasma FFA showed no variations. The results suggest that plasma pancreatic glucagon is of major importance for the maintenance of basal blood glucose.

Key Words:

• Basal levels
• free fatty acids
• glucose
• growth hormone
• insulin
• metabolism
• plasma glucagons
• somatostatin
• SRIF