SERUM ALBUMIN REGENERATION AS EFFECTED BY INTRAVENOUSLY AND ORALLY ADMINISTERED PROTEIN HYDROLYSATES 1

Abstract

Three dogs were subjected to severe N depletion by feeding them the Weech-Goettsch carrot diet for 8 wks. They lost 20, 11, and 9 lbs. in wt. N was then administered intravenously for 10 days as a protein hydrolysate (Ami-gen), a mixt. of the 10 essential amino acids (Madden''s Vu), or the basal amino acid mixt. of McCoy, Meyer and Rose supplemented with 3.5% of dl-theonine. The amt. of N first injected per day just equalled the avg. daily N loss during the last 14 days on the depletion diet. Next twice this amt. was given and subsequently 4 and 8 times as much of the Madden (Vu) mixt. and Amigen were injected. At the 2 lower levels the mixt. of the essential amino acids produced slightly greater N retention than the hydrolysate or the amino acid mixt. which contained the dispensable amino acids. At the 2 highest levels the protein hydrolysate (Amigen) induced greater retentions than the essential amino acid mixt. More amino acid N was excreted in the urine after the inj. of the crystalline amino acid mixtures; presumably the unnatural isomers these contained were the more readily excreted. Hydrolysis of the urine, voided after the hydrolysate was injected, liberated amino acid N, thus showing that some excretion of peptides present in the hydrolysate had occurred. Plasma albumin tended to rise as the higher levels of N were injected, hematocrit readings to fall.