Metabolic effects of glucocorticoids in sheep - Studies with a long-acting somatostatin analogue

Effects of an injection of the glucocorticoid flumetason were investigated in normal sheep and in sheep created with the long-acting somatostatin analogue octreotide in a 4*4 Latin square designed experiment. The flumetason injection gave rise to a small elevation of the plasma concentration of glucose and alanine. The concentration of insulin showed a six-fold increase. Glucagon beta-hydroxybutyrate and free fatty acids were not significantly affected by flumetason. Octreotide depressed the basal level of insulin and glucagon but did not significantly affect the plasma level of beta-hydroxybutyrate. An intravenous injection of alanine gave rise to a peak in the plasma concentrations of both insulin and glucagon. Octreotide did not inhibit the alanine-induced release of insulin and glucagon. Plasma glucose increased due to the alanine injection in all treatments except when the sheep were treated with flumetason and octreotide. This treatment instead gave rise to a drop in glucose. The results of the study suggest differences in metabolic response to both glucocorticoids and somatostatin between monogastric species and the ruminating species, sheep.