Peptone Hypoglycemia.

Abstract

The effect of peptone on blood sugar has been determined by several investigators, but the results obtained have been discordant. Henderson and Underhill 1 in 1911, and Kuriyama 2 in 1917 reported hyperglycemia after intravenous injection of peptone. On the other hand, McGuigan and Ross 3 in 1915 found marked hypoglycemia, while Menten and Manning 4 in 1927 observed hyperglycemia with three samples of Witte's peptone, hypoglycemia with one sample, and no change in blood sugar with another sample.

The experiments to be described were made some time ago, but are now reported in view of Menten and Manning's paper. Our results throw light on the possible cause of the variations in blood sugar obtained after administration of peptone. The experiments recorded differ from those of previous investigators. The diet of the test rabbits was noted and kept constant in view of the relation of food to the glycogen content of the liver and to the blood sugar level. The rations consisted of alfalfa and oats. The animals were deprived of food but not of water, 24 hours previous to injection. The injections were made subcutaneously. The material was not peptone dissolved in water with saline, but an extract of peptone prepared similarly to insulin.

Twenty grams of peptone of different makes were mixed with 1000 cc. of 70 per cent alcohol containing 0.4 per cent sulphuric acid. The mixture after standing 24 hours was filtered, and the filtrate evaporated at reduced pressure until the odor of alcohol disappeared. The aqueous residue was treated with 95 per cent alcohol, and a brown gelatinous precipitate was obtained. This was separated by filtration and dissolved in a small quantity (10 to 15 cc.) of water (pH 3) acidified with hydrochloric acid. Blood sugar was determined by the method of Schaffer and Hartmann. The injection of the slightly acidified water alone increased the blood sugar but slightly.