Glycogenolytic action of mercaptoethylamine

Abstract

The observation of Bacq, Herve and Fischer (Bull. acad. roy. méd. Belg. 18: 226, 1953), that mercaptoethylamine induces depletion of liver glycogen in rats and mice, has been confirmed. The disulfide form of the drug (cystamine) is more consistent in its action than the sulfhydryl form (cysteamine). Parenteral doses of 150 mg/kg induce 70– 90% depletion of liver glycogen of fed rats in 2–3 hours. Intragastric administration is also effective, but higher doses are required. The compound is effective in adrenodemedullated and in depancreatized rats, and may, therefore, act directly on the liver. Reduction of muscle glycogen was observed in normal and depancreatized, but not in adrenodemedullated, rats. In adrenodemedullated rats, but not in normal or depancreatized rats, mercaptoethylamine induced distinct declines in blood glucose, in spite of hepatic glycogenolysis. These findings suggest that this agent stimulates the secretion of epinephrine and of insulin.