Effect of Insulin,Adrenal Cortical Hormones,Salt and dl-Alanine on Carbohydrate Metabolism in Scurvy. ∗

Abstract

Summary

The injection of insulin or adrenal cortical extract in guinea pigs deficient in ascorbic acid did not materially alter the disturbance in carbohydrate metabolism characteristic of scorbutic animals; glycogen levels were still low, intestinal absorption impaired and blood sugar levels high after feeding glucose. Oxygen consumption of animals fed glucose then injected with insulin before and after depletion was unchanged. The addition of sodium chloride to the drinking water of deficient animals failed to improve any aspect of carbohydrate metabolism studied. Ardenaline given to both members of the pair produced higher blood sugar levels in the normal than in deficient animals and slightly higher levels of liver glycogen. Normal animals demonstrated much greater ability to convert dl-alanine to liver glycogen than did the deficidnet.