The fate of parenterally introduced glycogen in human and experimental diabetes

It has been shown by F. Voit and P. Mayer that glycogen parenterally introduced into the normal body of man or lower animal, is utilized, there being no elimination of glycogen, dextrin or glucose in the urine. Mendel repeated this work with rabbits, cats and dogs and found, on the contrary, that 5 per cent. to 18 per cent. of the glycogen introduced was eliminated as a dextrin over a period of two days.

In human and experimental pancreas diabetes the administration of glycogen gave the following results:

I. Human diabetes, first trial, E. P., age 16 yrs., wgt. I 10 lbs.

Glycogen subcutaneously, 28.0 gm.

Glycogen in urine as gluc. 28.0 gm.

Elimination time, under 24 hours.

II. Human diabetes, second trial (same case).

Glycogen subcutaneously, 21.5 gm.

Glycogen in urine as gluc. 21.5 gm.

Elimination time under 24 hours.

III. Complete pancreas extirpation; bitch, 8.5 kilos.

Glycogen intraperitoneally, 9.5 gm.

Glycogen recovered in urine as glucose 6.0 gm. = 66 percent.

Glycogen recovered in urine as dextrin 3.5 gm. = 34 percent.

Elimination time under 24 hours.

IV. Complete pancreas extirpation; bitch, 14.5 kilos.

Glycogen intraperitoneally, 25 gm.

Glycogen recovered in urine as glucose, 22.0 gm. = 88 percent.

Glycogen recovered in urine as dextrin, 3.0 gm. = 12 percent.

Elimination time under 22 hours.

These observations show definitely that glycogen is not a utilizable form of carbohydrate for the diabetic organism and they indicate that there is a more rapid conversion of glycogen to glucose in the diabetic than in the normal body.