Abstract
Summary
Diets containing theophylline were fed ad libitum to rats. Theophylline caused a significant decrease in body weight and adipose tissue weight. A significant decrease in the blood and liver β-hydroxybutyrate level and the β-hydroxybutyrate to acetoacetate ratio was noted for rats fed theophylline. Theophylline feeding also elevated the blood glucose level and the concentration of liver glycogen.
Rat liver mitochondria from control and theophylline fed rats were incubated in the presence of ATP, Mg+, pyruvate and radioactive bicarbonate. Theophylline significantly decreased pyruvate utilization and radioactive bicarbonate incorporation. Addition of L-octanoylcarnitine decreased pyruvate utilization and increased the total ketone bodies as well as their ratio in both groups.
Respiratory activities for control and theophylline fed rats were determined using succinate, α-ketoglutarate, and pyruvate as substrates. The efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation was significantly increased in the theophylline fed rats when succinate or α-ketoglutarate was used as the substrate.
It is concluded that pharmacologically large dosages of dietary theophylline deplete storage lipids through activation of lipases. This in turn decreases pyruvate carboxylation in mitochondria.
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