Effect of Diet on Ketonuria in the Rat

Abstract

It was noted 1 that the fasting ketonuria in the rat rarely exceedel 2 mg. per day over periods of several days. More recently, instances of higher values in the excretion of acetone bodies in fasting rats fed sodium chloride solution have become increasingly frequent, so that at least 80% give higher results.

Thus, the average values of acetone bodies for fasting male rats were 7.7 mg. (0.0–45.3) for 34 rats on the first fast day and 12.3 mg. (0.6–27.2) for 11 animals on the second one. The corresponding averages on 19 female animals fasted for 3 consecutive days were respectively 2.8 mg. (0.0–18.8), 10.4 mg. (0.0–33.0), and 9.6 mg. (0.2–35.9). Moreover, it was found that although the same sex difference in the excretion of ketone bodies followed the administration of diacetic acid as was previously observed, the levels in our recent experiments during 5 days of fasting were consistently higher than those previously obtained. The only variation in experimental regime from that earlier employed to which these alterations could be ascribed, was a change in the stock diet. Because of the outbreak of pellagra in our colony, our previous high carbohydrate diet (II) had been fortified in Vitamin G several months earlier by the inclusion of 5% of desiccated liver therein (Diet III). It was found that the fasting ketonuria observed over periods of several days in rats previously on Diet III was gradually reduced to a low level when the animals were returned to Diet II (liver-free) for 60 days. The original level of fasting ketonuria of 4.9 (0.0–17.7) for 9 rats on the first fast day, 17.6 mg. (2.7–29.2) for 8 animals on the second day, and 15.1 mg. (3.5–30.3) for 5 rats on the third one was reduced after 60 days on Diet II to a mean of 0.9 mg. (0.6–1.2) for 9 rats on the first and 1.7 mg. (0.5–3.1) for the same animals on the second fast day.