[The function of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-adrenal system in Itsenko-Cushing syndrome]. / Funktsional'noe sostoianie gipotalamo-gipofizarno-nadpochechnikovoi sistemy pri sindrome Itsenko-Kushinga.

Altogether 28 patients with adrenocortical tumors (corticosteromas and corticoandrosteromas) were examined using a radioimmunoassay to determine the concentration of corticotropin, cortisol, blood cyclic nucleotides, the circadian rhythm and time course of corticotropin and cortisol levels against a background of insulin hypoglycemia. In patients with Itsenko-Cushing's syndrome the basel level of cortisol was notably raised, that of corticotropin was sharply decreased. The circadian rhythm of the levels of corticotropin and cortisol was disturbed, a response of the hypophyseal-adrenal system to a stressor was suppressed. The concentration of blood cyclic nucleotides was increased, and these changes were dependent on the nature of adrenal pathology.

[The hypothalamus-hypophysis-adrenal system in patients with lactorrhea-amenorrhea syndrome]. / Sistema gipotalamus-gipofiz-nadpochechniki u bol'nykh s sindromom ffktorei-amenorei.

Function of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-adrenal system was investigated in 23 patients with different types of the lactorrhea-amenorrhea syndrome. The basal levels and "stress secretion" of ACTH, cortisol and cyclic nucleotides, the circadian rhythm of ACTH and cortisol levels were determined by RIA. Noticeable disorders in the central and peripheral factors of this system and changes in the blood levels of cyclic nucleotides were observed in patients with the lactorrhea-amenorrhea syndrome.

[Cyclic nucleotide content of the rat kidney cortex in vitamin D deficiency]. / Soderzhanie tsiklicheskikh nukleotidov v korkovom veshchestve pochek krys pri defitsite vitamina D.

The development of experimental vitamin D deficiency in rats was accompanied by changes in cyclic nucleotides metabolism in the cortical part of kidneys, namely the increase in cyclic AMP synthesis and the decrease in cyclic GMP. The above changes appear in combination with marked deviations in calcium/phosphorus metabolism.

[The metoclopramide test in the differential diagnosis of various forms of galactorrhea-amenorrhea syndrome]. / Proba s metoklopramidom v differentsial'noi diagnostike razlichnykh form sindroma laktorei-amenorei.

The results of the metoclopramide test in 24 patients with the lactorrhea-amenorrhea syndrome were presented. It was shown that the metoclopramide test could be used for differential diagnosis of various types of disease. The blood prolactin concentration was raised only in the patients with the functional type of the lactorrhea-amenorrhea syndrome and changed insignificantly in the patients with pituitary microadenoma as well as in the patients with a noticeable increase in the prolactin basal level but without x-ray signs of a pituitary tumor. The presence of pituitary microadenoma could be suspected in the patients of the 3rd group.

[Effect of the dopamine agonist parlodel on steroid hormone secretion and their metabolism in the liver]. / Vliianie agonista dofamina parlodela na sekretsiiu steroidnykh gormonov i ikh obmen v pecheni.

Experiments on rats have shown that the dopamine agonist parlodel produces a noticeable inhibitory effect on function of the pituitary-adrenal system by a decrease in corticotropin secretion and direct influence on aldosterone synthesis and secretion. Changes in corticosterone level caused by parlodel are related to ACTH action and inhibition of activity of the microcirculatory bed of the adrenal fascicular zone. The dopamine agonist parlodel produces no effect on metabolism of the steroid hormones: corticosterone and testosterone in the rat hepatic tissue.

[Characteristics of the action of parlodel on endocrine functions of the body]. / Osobennosti deistviia parlodela na nekotorye éndokrinnye funktsii organizma.

The effect of dopamine agonist parlodel (1 and 5 mg/kg) on the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system, lactotropic and somatotropic pituitary functions was studied. The content of ACTH and corticosterone in the blood and tissue, aldosterone in the blood, prolactin, somatotropic hormone in the pituitary, catecholamines in the hypothalamus and cerebral cortex demonstrated the inhibitory effect of the drug on the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system, and pituitary, lactotropic and somatotropic functions. The mode of parlodel action consists probably in the decrease of turnover rather than in any changes of dopamine and catecholamine content in the hypothalamus and cerebral cortex. Parlodel failed to affect steroid metabolism in the body.

[Effect of beta-endorphin on catecholamine levels in the rat hypothalamus and cerebral cortex]. / Vliianie beta-éndorfina na soderzhanie katekholaminov v gipotalamuse i kore bol'shikh polusharii krys.

The present paper deals with the effect of beta-endorphin on catecholamine content in the hypothalamus and cerebral cortex of male rats. beta-endorphin was found to decrease catecholamine content in the rat brain, with the degree of reduction depending on the brain topography and the time following the peptide administration. 5 min later no changes in catecholamine content were observed either in the hypothalamus or in the cerebral cortex. 20 min later beta-endorphin induced a statistically significant fall of catecholamine concentration in the hypothalamus. A tendency towards its decrease was also observed in the cerebral cortex. 60 min later beta-endorphin produced an insignificant decrease in catecholamine level in both brain areas under study. It may be therefore suggested that beta-endorphin-induced decrease of catecholamine content in the hypothalamus and cerebral cortex represents one of the mechanisms underlying beta-endorphin stimulating action on a number of trophic functions of the hypophysis.

[Experimental and clinical basis for using the preparation nacom in the treatment of Itsenko-Cushing disease]. / Eksperimental'no-klinicheskoe obosnovanie primeneniia preparata nakon dlia lecheniia bolezni Itsenko-Kushinga.

The paper is concerned with the results of an experimental study of the nacom (NC) effect on the activity of the hypothalamohypophysioadrenal system and the results of its application to 29 patients with Icenko-Cushing's disease with curative purposes. In rats the concentration of corticotropin and aldosterone was determined with a radioimmunoassay, that of corticosterone with a competitive protein binding method. The dopamine content in the hypothalamus and cerebral cortex was studied by fluorimetry. To define the hypothalamohyphysioadrenal system in the patients a study was made of blood corticotropin, cortisol and aldosterone basal levels as well as response of the system to insulin hypoglycemia induced stress. Dopaminergic NC was shown to be dose-related with the activity of the hypothalamohypophysioadrenal system. The NC effect was associated with an increase in the dopamine level in the hypothalamus and cerebral cortex. Clinical investigations proved NC efficacy for therapy of Icenko-Cushing's disease permitting one to recommend it as a pathogenetic agent for therapy of this disease.

[Mechanisms of action of beta-endorphin on the secretion of hypophyseal hormones]. / Nekotorye mekhanizmy deistviia beta-éndorfina na sekretsiiu gipofizarnykh gormonov.

The purpose of the study was to investigate some mechanisms of the effect of beta-endorphin on somatotropic and lactotropic function of the hypophysis, adrenal activity and the content of catecholamines in the cerebral tissues. Activation of the hypophyseoadrenal system, lactotropic and somatotropic functions 5-20 min after beta-endorphin administration was established in experiments on male rats. At the same time a decrease in the content of catecholamines in the hypothalamus, cerebral cortex was observed. It was most significant for dopamine participating in the regulation of ACTH, prolactin and somatotropin secretion.

[Effect of Nakom on the activity of the hypothalamo-hypophyseo-adrenal system]. / Vliianie nakoma na aktivnost' gipotalamo-gipofizarno-nadpochech-nikovoi sistemy.

The effect of nakom, containing the dopamine precursor levodopa, on the activity of the hypothalamo-hypophysial-adrenal system (HHAS), the content of dopamine in the hypothalamus and the cerebral hemisphere cortex and cAMP in tissues, was studied in experiments on rats. It was revealed, that the preparation in the 2 mg per 100 g dose has a marked inhibiting action on the activity of the HHAS, that is expressed in 2 h by the drop of the level of ACTH, corticosterone, aldosterone in blood that is maintained for 10 hours and disappears 24 hours after the administration. One of the possible mechanisms of the inhibiting action of the preparation on HHAS activity is the increase of dopamine content in the hypothalamus and cerebral hemisphere cortex. The inhibiting action of the preparation on HHAS activity is dose-dependent. The inhibiting influence of nakom on the HHAS activity is realized through the adenylate cyclase system.

Effect of the antiserotonin drug, cyproheptadine, on plasma beta-endorphin and beta-lipotropin in patients with Itsenko-Cushing's disease.

In the present paper evidences are provided for the changes occurring in blood opioid neuropeptides in patients with Itsenko-Cushing's disease), who were treated with an antiserotonin drug, cyproheptadine (peritol). An increase in the plasma contents of beta-endorphin and beta-lipotrophin in the above patients has been found to be one of the factors conditioning an enhanced activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system. Treatment of the patients suffering from Itsenko-Cushing's disease with cyproheptadine (peritol) resulted in a decrease of the plasma beta-endorphin and beta-lipotropin, as well as a display in 60% of cases of clinical and laboratory remission. Absence of the clinical remission in some patients treated with peritol indicated a need for intervention in the metabolism of other monoamines involved in the modulation of the action of opioid neuropeptides on the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary system.

[Neurotensin in Itsenko-Cushing disease]. / Neirotenzin pri bolezni Itsenko-Kushinga.

The results are presented on studying the blood neurotensin concentration in 68 patients with Icenko-Cushing's disease and in 5 persons with adrenocortical tumors. Neurotensin fasting content was determined by radioimmunoassay after insulin, glucose, peritol and parlodel administration and following the treatment with chloditane-, chloditane-cyproheptadine complex, a combination of chloditane and a dopaminergic drug. It was found that the blood neurotensin concentration is enhanced in the active stage of Icenko-Cushing's disease. Marked changes were not observed in the blood neurotensin concentration of healthy subjects and patients with Icenko-Cushing's disease under stress, provoked by insulin hypoglycemia and after glucose injection. Different sensitivity to peritol and parlodel was seen in a half of patients with an increased blood neurotensin concentration. During clinical remission of Icenko-Cushing's disease under chloditane and combined chloditane-peritol treatment the blood neurotensin level returned to normal, remaining increased in patients treated with chloditane and a dopaminergic drug.