Utilization of Glucose, Fructose and Galactose by Scorbutic Guinea Pigs

¹ From the Department of Physiology, Presidency College, Calcutta, India

The utilization of glucose, fructose and galactose was studied in scorbutic and paired fed normal guinea pigs by performing tolerance tests with these sugars and by determining the glycogen contents of the liver and skeletal muscle of these animals. After feeding glucose the blood glucose of scorbutic guinea pigs attained a markedly higher peak and showed a delayed fall compared with that of normal guinea pigs. Ingestion of fructose was accompanied by an appreciable rise in the true blood glucose of scorbutic and normal guinea pigs. Administration of galactose did not elicit any such elevation of blood glucose. The amounts of fructose and galactose found in the blood of scorbutic guinea pigs at different intervals after administration of the respective hexoses were essentially the same as in normal guinea pigs. Ascorbic acid deficiency did not seem to disturb the utilization of fructose and galactose by guinea pigs. The glycogen contents of the liver and muscle of scorbutic guinea pigs were reduced markedly and did not differ significantly following ingestion of glucose, fructose or galactose. The disturbed carbohydrate metabolism in scurvy is attributed partly to diminished formation of glucose-6-phosphate from glucose.