Reversal of acute streptozotocin-induced glycemic changes by chemical ventro-medial hypothalamic lesions.

This report describes the effect of chemical gold thioglucose (GTG) lesions of the ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) nuclei in male Sprague-Dawley rats previously made diabetic by injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg, i.v.). Injection of streptozotocin resulted in hyperglycemia (blood glucose greater than 200 mg%) within one week; treatment of these rats with intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of GTG (0.025 M) + Insulin (1 microU) reversed these glycemic changes within six weeks. On the basis of these initial experiments, it has been shown that GTG lesions of the VMH may reverse glycemic changes in acute streptozotocin-induced diabetes.