THE EFFECT OF ETHER AND STARVATION ON LIVER GLYCOGEN MAINTENANCE AFTER VARIOUS DIETS

Abstract

The liver glycogen of rats previously fed diets high in protein and in carbohydrate respectively diminished considerably and about equally after ether anesthesia, and starvation after recovery from anesthesia produced further diminution of liver glycogen. This is in contrast to the results seen after starvation alone; the protein-fed rats maintained their liver glycogen while that of the carbohydrate series fell to very low levels. It is believed that there is a marked reduction of carbohydrate metabolism when the intake of this substance is low, but not until the liver glycogen level is very low. In view of the results of ether-starvation, it is doubtful that the maintenance of glycogen in the livers of protein-fed rats subsequently starved depends on intense glyconeogenesis.