Abstract
Summary
The administration of a high nonlethal dose of propylene glycol (10 ml/kg) was found to affect the carbohydrate metabolism of young rats. There was a marked increase in the blood glucose in 15 min, with the maximum increase in 1 1/2 hr; the overall increase in blood glucose lasted for a period of 6 hr. The amount of liver glycogen in propylene glycol and saline control was the same for 6 hr. A severe depletion in the liver glycogen was noticed 12 hr after propylene glycol treatment. Evidence has been provided that the rats treated with a high dose of propylene glycol have a drastically reduced capacity to synthesize or to store liver glycogen. Some of the possible mechanisms for the inhibitory effects of propylene glycol on synthesis of liver glycogen have been discussed. The present work provides the proof for the metabolic upsets associated with a large dose of propylene glycol used either as such or as a carrier vehicle in a drug study.
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