Effect of Hydrolysed Glucose Cycloacetoacetate in the Prevention of Fatty Infiltration in the Liver

Abstract

GLUCOSE cycloacetoacetate (GCA) while hydrolysed with dilute hydrochloric acid has been found to have beneficial effects in experimental diabetes^1–3. It has also recently been observed in this laboratory to facilitate transmethylation reactions in E. coli⁴. It was reported earlier by Saikia, Brahmankar and Nath⁵ that hydrolysed glucose cycloacetoacetate in a daily dose of 80 mg/100 g body-wt can cause considerable desaturation of the liver fat, which, according to Schoenheimer and Rittonberg⁶, is an indication of increased fat metabolism. Nath and Saikia^7,8 have also observed earlier the prevention of atherosclerotic and hyperlipaemic conditions in animals by the hydrolysed product of glucose cycloacetoacetate (GCAH). Investigations were therefore undertaken to observe the lipotropic effect of GCAH in experimental animals. Because vitamin B₁₂ is known to have a lipotropic effect it was also thought desirable to study the effect of very small doses of vitamin B₁₂ in partially hepatectomized animals.