The role of pineal gland on blood glucose in rabbit pups was born from hypoxic mothers

Abstract

It has been showed that maternal hypoxia leads to postnatal dysfunctions such as abnormalities in endocrine function and also pineal gland has a variety of physiological functions. We aimed role of maternal hypoxia interaction with pineal gland effect on blood glucose of rabbit pups. We used fifteen healthy pregnant rabbits, medium breeds and divided them into three groups according thirds of pregnancy. In each group two rabbits were used as controls in which they inspired normal air. The remaining three rabbits as cases were subjected to hypoxia for 10 days during three thirds of pregnancy. Epiphysectomy operation was performed on 31st day of life at all of rabbit pups. Blood samples of rabbit pups were collected and plasma glucose was determined one day before and ten days after epiphysectomy. The mean values for plasma glucose concentrations were 106.71±8.00 and 114.21±13.04 mg/dl in case and control groups in all of thirds of pregnancy respectively before epiphysectomy. After epiphysectomy glucose concentration decreased at all of rabbit pups both case and control groups but this gradient was more in controls than cases. We suggested influence of epiphysis gland on plasma glucose concentration in rabbit pups.