Hypoglycemic action of D-ribose in the rabbit

¹ Harrison Department of Surgical Research and Department of Neurosurgery, Schools of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The infusion of 0.05 ml/ min of a 2.5% solution of d-ribose in the rabbit produced a definite decrease in blood glucose concentration. A tenfold increase in the rate of infusion did not cause a significant change in the magnitude or duration of the hypoglycemia. The same degree of hypoglycemia was obtained whether the d-ribose was infused via the internal carotid artery or via a vein. Anesthesia did not prevent this hypoglycemic action. Injected epinephrine produced about the same hyperglycemic effect during the infusion of d-ribose as it did in the absence of an infusion of d-ribose. This indicates that the hypoglycemic action of d-ribose is probably not due to an inhibition of glycogenolysis.

Key Words: brain and ribose hypoglycemia • epinephrine action in ribose hypoglycemia • glycogenolysis and ribose hypoglycemia

Submitted on August 8, 1963