Beiträge zur Frage der Zuckerwirkung im Organismus. II. Mitteilung. Zur Zersetzung des Traubenzuckers durch stark verdünntes Alkali.

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Abstract
The idea that the splitting of sugar under the influence of weak alkali is in two 3-C chains the author proves in the following experiment: After distilling for 30 min. the process is halted and the residue in the flask treated while hot with phenylhydrazin hydrochloride and sodium acetate. An osazone is precipitated, which melts at 132[degree] and its analysis shows the C, H and N content of dioxyacetone osazone or of glyceric aldehyde osazone. Additional proof is seen when glucose is heated a short time with alkali and later treated with acid, when large quantities of methylglyoxal are given off in the distillate. Glucose not previously treated with alkali gives off no methlyglyoxal when distilled with acid. The splitting up of the glucose takes place probably by the breaking-up of the oxide ring with intermediate formation of glycosate and the splitting up of the glycosate into 2 glyceric aldehyde molecules with an excess of water. These chemical results were tested on animals treated with insulin. In the hypoglycemic syndrome, 2 phases can be separated[long dash]the central effect, which begins at once and reaches its highest point with the hypoglycemic convulsions, and the peripheral effect, which acts on the skeletal muscles, producing characteristic hypotonie muscular weakness. All of these toxic effects of insulin are relieved as rapidly with dioxyacetone in either intravenous or subcutaneous injections as with glucose. Methylglyoxal by intravenous injection, has no curative value in the toxic state but in small doses produces death with severe convulsions resembling in all respects the convulsions produced by insulin. In some cases death is almost instantaneous. Subcutaneous injections of methylglyoxal do not produce these severe effects. Mixtures of dioxyacetone and methylglyoxal will cause recovery in animals. The toxic effects of insulin are probably produced by the presence of greatly increased amounts of methylglyoxal formed by the rapid destruction of glucose. The products of glucose which are split off first have the essential physiological action of dextrose.

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