THE FATE OF DIHYDROXYACETONE IN THE ANIMAL BODY

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Abstract
The fall in blood sugar which ensues in dogs after anastomosis of the portal vein with the vena cava and ligation of the hepatic artery is partially restored by the administration of dihydroxyacetone intravenously. This is due to the conversion of some of the tri-ose to glucose. Functional hepatectomy of this type provides an unsatisfactory preparation due to the collateral circulation through the liver. The results obtained in this type of experiment indicate that dihydroxyacetone can not be used directly to any significant extent by the tissues. Intravenous administration of dihydroxyacetone on eviscerated animals is more conclusive. The blood sugar does not increase and the concentration of the triose itself in the blood falls to a level at which it remains and which is presumably in equilibrium with that in the tissues. The determination of the dihydroxyacetone content of muscle tissue confirms this view. Were the dihydroxyacetone directly oxidized by the tissues, as would be the case were it an intermediary degradation product of glucose, its concentration in the blood should show a continuous fall; were it converted into glucose the blood sugar concentration should rise. As neither of these changes occur it may be concluded that the liver is the only place for the conversion of the triose into hexose and. that the triose is not utilizable as such by the tissues. The conclusion is drawn that dihydroxyacetone is not in the normal path of katabolism of glucose.

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