IMPAIRMENT OF LIVER GLUCONEOGENESIS FROM LACTIC ACID AS A RESULT OF ALLOXAN ACTION

Abstract

In 24-hr. fasted rabbits, 3 or 4 hrs. after lactic acid feeding, when this was directly preceded by alloxan injn., liver glycogen was much lower than when alloxan was not injd. In 24-hr. fasted rabbits, 4 hrs. after lactic acid feeding, directly preceded by epinephrin or alloxan injns., liver glycogen was much lower in the alloxan- than in the epinephrin-injd. animals. In 24-hr. fasted rabbits, 3 hrs. after a lactic acid feeding which was preceded by either epinephrin or alloxan injns. 4 hrs. earlier, liver glycogen was much lower in the alloxan- than in the epinephrin-injd. animals. In these alloxan expts. just re- ferred to, lactic acid feeding did not prevent alloxan hypo-glycemia, but appeared to retard its progress. In 24-hr. fasted rabbits, when lactic acid was fed either directly after or 4 hrs. after an alloxan injn., liver glycogen was not, as a rule, significantly lower then in fasted but otherwise untreated controls. In 24-hr. fasted rabbits injd. with alloxan, when lactic acid was fed directly after the injn., the initial hyperglycemia was of greater magnitude than when lactic acid feeding was delayed for 4 hrs. It is concluded that the usual diabetogenic doses of alloxan, through some effect of its action upon the liver, for some time hinder, but may not totally abolish liver gluconeo-genesis from lactic acid.