liver glucostatic function: a study on the effect of intravenous and intraportal administration of glucagon and epinephrine on blood glucose level

ABSTRACT

Twenty two patients with schistosomal hepatic fibrosis and splenomegaly with no ascites or other complications were selected and grouped into 3 groups. In group I administration of 1 mg glucagon produced higher hyperglycemic effect when given intraportally than intravenously whereas in group II infusion of 10 micro g epinephrine [2 micro g/minute] resulted in a higher increment in blood glucose when given intravenously than intrasplenically. In group III the intravenous infusion of 10 micro g epinephrine was nearly equivalent in its hyperglycemic effect to the injection of 1 mg glucagon by the same route. Analysis of the results shows that 1 mg glucagon is more potent as hepatic glycogenolytic agent than 10 micro g epinephrine, and that this effect is more evident when glucagon is administered by the intraportal route while the hyperglycemic effect of epinephrine is higher when administered into the peripheral circulation