Effect of adrenalin upon blood sugar following ligation of the hepatic artery. ∗

Abstract

In a previous communication, 1 we demonstrated that exclusion of the arterial supply to the liver by ligation of the hepatic artery and its collateral branches causes death in hypoglycemic convulsions within 15 to 60 hours, depending upon the amount of glycogen previously stored.

The present experiments deal with the effect of adrenalin upon the blood sugar level following this procedure. Five-tenths to 1.5 cc. of 1/1000 solution of adrenalin was injected intravenously at varying periods following ligation of the hepatic artery in dogs. The following observations were made:

1. The degree of hyperglycemia following adrenalin injection varies inversely with the period of time following ligation of the hepatic artery; i. e., the longer the time permitted to elapse after ligation the less the increase in blood sugar.

2. When the animal develops all the manifestations of hypoglycemia, adrenalin no longer influences the blood sugar level.

3. When adrenalin fails to cause an increase in blood sugar, hypoglycemic convulsions and death may be predicted in 2 to 5 hours.

4. When adrenalin had no effect on blood sugar level, the tissues of these animals, examined at death, showed complete absence of glycogen. This is in agreement with the results of the work of Ringer, 2 who showed that in a phlorhizinized diabetic dog, totally depleted of glycogen by shivering, adrenalin does not alter the D :N ratio, through an elimination of extra sugar.

5. The blood sugar level does not necessarily indicate the quantity of glycogen stored in the organism. In Dog 20, 1 cc. of adrenalin, intravenously, had no effect upon the blood sugar, although the blood contained 82 mg. sugar per 100 cc. One hour later this animal was in hypoglycemic shock with a Mood sugar of 52 mg. Dog No. 15 showed no effect of adrenalin upon the blood sugar, although the blood sugar was 90 mg., and in dog No. 57,4 1/2 hours before convulsions and death of the animal, the adrenalin had no effect on the blood sugar level at 86 mg.