Effect of Six-Day Starvation on Rat Liver Lactic Dehydrogenase Activity

Abstract

The effect of 6-day starvation on hepatic lactic dehydrogenase activity was investigated. During a 6-day starvation period the rats lost 32% of the initial body weight. The liver/body weight ratio decreased to 64% and the liver weight went down to 39% of the value of normal-fed rats. During this fasting period the liver cellularity increased to 191% of the value for the normal-fed rats, owing to the shrinkage of the liver. The nitrogen content of the average liver cell decreased progressively, reaching 54% of the values for the fed animals at the end of the 6-day starvation period. Hepatic lactic dehydrogenase activity paralleled liver nitrogen content, reaching a final value of 54% at the end of the fasting. Similar results were obtained when nitrogen content and lactic dehydrogenase values were expressed per 100 gm of body weight.