Dextran as a Source of Liver Glycogen and Blood Reducing Substance.

Abstract

Eextran admd. by stomach tube to fasted rats caused an increase in blood reducing substance and liver glycogen. Oral dextran caused an increase in the blood reducing substance in fasted men. The early increase in blood reducing substance indicates that the intestinal breakdown of dextran may not be ascribable to bacterial action but more probably to an action of an enzyme or enzymes in the intestinal tract.