Inhibitory Effect of Chlorpromazine upon the Adrenal Cortical Response to Insulin Hypoglycemia in Man1

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Abstract
Administration of standard insulin, 45-670 units, to schizophrenic subjects caused elevations of plasma 17-OH-corticosteroid levels (method of Silber and Porter) to 34-42 /ig %. Pre-treatment with 100-300 mg chlorpromazine inhibited this elevation, levels remaining within the normal range (average in 9 patients, ll-17jixg %). Chlorpromazine exerted no effect upon the degree of hypoglycemia produced by insulin. Chlorpromazine also failed to inhibit response of the adrenal cortex to exogenous adrenocorti-cotropic hormone. The possibility that chlorpromazine acts upon the hypothalamus to bring about the observed inhibitory effect is discussed.