However, while it appears that the sex hormones played no role in the effects of artesunate generally, the sharp rise in the plasma level of oestrogen in a similar manner with insulin in the male rats treated with the low dose of artesunate for 5 days suggests that oestrogen might have contributed to the hyperinsulinaemia and hypoglycaemia observed in those rats. This evidence concerns the gene INS and Hypoglycemia.