Effects of ritanserin, a specific serotonin-S2 receptor antagonist, on the release of anterior pituitary hormones during insulin-induced hypoglycemia in normal humans

J Endocrinol Invest. 1995 Jun;18(6):427-30. doi: 10.1007/BF03349740.

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.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemia / chemically induced
  • Hypoglycemia / metabolism*
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Insulin / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Pituitary Hormones, Anterior / metabolism*
  • Ritanserin / pharmacology*
  • Serotonin Antagonists / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Insulin
  • Pituitary Hormones, Anterior
  • Serotonin Antagonists
  • Ritanserin