These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Beta-endorphin and the endocrine pancreas. Studies in healthy and diabetic human beings.
    Author: Feldman M, Kiser RS, Unger RH, Li CH.
    Journal: N Engl J Med; 1983 Feb 17; 308(7):349-53. PubMed ID: 6296674.
    Abstract:
    Beta-endorphin is present in the endocrine pancreas, suggesting that endorphins may have a role in islet-cell function. To evaluate this possibility, we infused synthetic human beta-endorphin intravenously in healthy volunteers and in insulin-dependent diabetic patients. In both groups, beta-endorphin increased plasma glucagon concentrations, and this rise was accompanied by a significant increase in plasma glucose concentrations. In nondiabetic subjects, beta-endorphin also increased plasma insulin concentrations. The threshold dose of beta-endorphin for producing increased plasma concentrations of glucose and glucagon was 0.005 mg--a dose that acutely increased plasma concentrations of beta-endorphin by approximately 40-fold. Glucose, glucagon, and insulin responses to beta-endorphin could not be blocked by intravenous naloxone. These studies suggest that endorphins may be involved in gluco-regulation, that their hyperglycemic action is mediated at least in part by glucagon, and that the effect of beta-endorphin on islet-cell function is relatively resistant to naloxone.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]