GLYCOGEN CONTENT OF LIVER OF ALLOXAN DIABETIC RAT

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Abstract
Several factors which affect the level of glycogen in the liver of male albino rats with moderately severe but uncomplicated alloxan diabetes were studied. The glycogen concn. in the liver of such rats after a fast of 24 or 48 hrs. is significantly higher than that of the correspondingly fasted normal control rat. A positive correlation of borderline significance is noted between liver glycogen concn. and the fasting blood sugar value in the 24-hour fasted alloxan diabetic rat. This indicates that in general such a rat with a high blood sugar value has a higher glycogen concn. in its liver than a rat with a lower blood sugar level. A significant correlation is not found for the same values in the 48-hour fasted alloxan diabetic rat. Neither polyphagia nor poor nutritional state, as evidenced by poor growth, is responsible for the elevated liver glycogen level of the fasted alloxan diabetic rat. Ketonuria occurs more frequently in the normal than in the alloxan diabetic rat under the stress of fasting. After bilateral adrenalectomy, the high liver glycogen concn. of the 24-hour fasted alloxan diabetic rat becomes equal to or falls below that found in the normal 24-hour fasted rat. Injn. of adrenal cortical extract into adrenalectomized alloxan diabetic rats causes an elevation of both blood sugar and liver glycogen values over the pre-injn. levels. The data indicate that over-activity of the adrenal cortex is at least partially responsible for the increased liver glycogen concn. observed in the fasted alloxan-treated rat with moderately severe but uncomplicated diabetes.

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