Effect of Reserpine on Fatty Acid Mobilization.

SummaryReserpine treatment diminished but did not abolish the mobilization of free fatty acids (FFA) which occurs during fasting in rats. Reserpine also did not interfere with increased production of FFA resulting from administration of ovine growth hormone in vivo. Similarly reserpine failed to abolish this effect of corticotropin in vitro even when given in doses in excess of those known to deplete adipose tissue of norepinephrine. It may be concluded that the fat-mobilizing actions of these hormones are not dependent on the mediation of epinephrine or norepinephrine. Because the dose of reserpine used in these experiments also produced a mild but prolonged hyperglycemia, it cannot be definitely established whether the reduced response to fasting in reserpinetreated animals was due to the depletion of norepinephrine from adipose tissue or to the hyperglycemia.