Summary
Some acute and chronic metabolic effects of a new ACTH analogue (ACTH 1–17, Synchrodyn®) were evaluated in healthy subjects and compared to those of the synthetic fragment ACTH 1–24. The peptides were injected at doses reportedly comparable with regard to their corticotropic effect, i.e. 100 μg ACTH 1–17 and 250 μg ACTH 1–24. A similar increase in blood glucose, NEFA and ketone bodies concentrations, without any significant modification of insulin, C-peptide and glucagon levels, was observed after injecting both peptides. The chronic treatment with ACTH 1–24 induced a significant increase in basal lactate, pyruvate and alanine blood concentrations. The levels of these metabolites resulted unaffected or slightly reduced after the corresponding treatment with ACTH 1–17. Our data are compatible with a certain degree of exhaustion of the adrenocortical reserve or, alternatively, a resetting of the circadian cortisol rhythm after prolonged treatment with the ACTH 1–17 analogue.
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Prando, R., Buzzo, P., Cheli, V. et al. ACTH 1–17 effects on intermediary metabolites in healthy subjects. La Ricerca Clin. Lab. 14, 175–180 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02904970
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02904970