Glycemia (a hormone of carbohydrate metabolism produced)

GLYCEMIA, a hormone of carbohydrate metabolism produced by the liver, an antagonist of insulin; discovered by Dietrich and Loewy (1926). While insulin, according to Loewy, increases the ability of cellular elements (erythrocytes, tissue cells) to absorb glucose from the blood and tissue juices, as well as to retain glycogen—Glycemia inhibits the absorption of glucose by cells and facilitates the washing out of sugar from tissues. Thus, glycemia decreases the outflow of glucose from the blood into tissues and increases the breakdown of glycogen (glycogenolysis) and the release of sugar by the liver. As a result of this, the sugar content in the blood increases, and hyperglycemia occurs. Consequently, Glycemia, affecting both of the most important factors determining the level of blood sugar in a direction opposite to the action of insulin, is a direct antagonist of the latter. In its pure form, Glycemia has not yet been obtained; it is a thermostable substance, easily dialyzable and soluble in alcohol. Glycemia can be detected in the blood (in the greatest quantity in v. hepatica) in diabetes mellitus and experimental hyperglycemias (injection of adrenaline, depancreatization, alimentary hyperglycemia, etc.). After removal of the adrenal glands (their extirpation, ergotaminization, section of the plexus splanchnicus) in animals, it is not possible to cause increased secretion of glycemia by the liver and experimental hyperglycemia.