Effects of cassava cyanoglucoside, linamarin, on blood sugar levels in the dog

ABSTRACT

This study was undertaken to examine the diabetogenicity of linamarin in dogs of different nutritional status. The total dog population was 35; 15 normals, 10 undernourished, and 10 recovered. The recovered dogs were the refed undernourished dogs, On each dog a fasting plasma insulin and insulin receptor studies were done, followerd by a controlled glucose tolerance test. After feeding linamarin. 0.5 hour was allowed to elapse before these investigations were repeated. In the linamarin-treated udernourished animal, plasma insulin and insulin binding to erythrocytes and mononuclear leucocytes were significantly (P> 0.01) lower than in the control animals, and this resulted in abnormally high glucose levels. Linamarin administration had no effect on plasma insulin, insulin binding, or blood sugar levels in the normal and recovered dogs. These results point to the possible aetiology of diabetes in the undernourished state by 'toxic' foods substances such as linamarin. (AU)