On the stimulation of respiration by α‐adrenergic agonists in perfused rat liver

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Abstract
Interactions between phenylephrine-induced oxygen consumption, lactate and pyruvate output, and urea and glucose production were examined in perfused livers from fed or 48-h fasted rats. Within 2 min of phenylephrine infusion, oxygen consumption in perfused livers was increased by approximately 40%. Increases in oxygen consumption induced by phenlephrine were essentially abolished in the presence of carboxyatratyloside, whereas those induced by dinitriphenol were still evident. Phenylephrine-induced increases in oxygen consumption were accompained by enhanced rates of gluconeogenesis and ureogenesis in livers from fed or 48-h-fasted animals. These data indicate that phenylephrine-induced increases in respiration in perfused rat liver may result from an enhanced rate of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in response to an increased cellular energy requirement.