AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 267, Issue 5 1280-R1287, Copyright © 1994 by American Physiological Society
Effect of acute ethanol intoxication on glucoregulation during prolonged insulin-induced hypoglycemia
P. E. Molina, K. Jabbour, P. Williams and N. N. Abumrad
Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232.
This study examined the interaction of acute ethanol administration on
glucose homeostasis during insulin-induced hypoglycemia (IIH). Glucose
kinetics and net hepatic balances of alanine, glycerol, and lactate were
estimated in three groups of dogs: group I underwent 3 h of IIH; group II
received a continuous ethanol infusion in addition to IIH; group III
received ethanol for 3 h. In group I, IIH resulted in a sustained twofold
increase in glucose rate of appearance (Ra) and net hepatic uptake (NHU) of
glycerol and lactate but no change in NHU of alanine. In group II, glucose
Ra rose transiently, NHU of alanine and glycerol increased two- and
fivefold, respectively, whereas NHU of lactate dropped 60%. In group III,
no alterations in plasma glucose levels, glucose Ra, and NHU of alanine and
glycerol were observed, but NHU of lactate switched to a net output. These
results demonstrate that ethanol alone or with IIH exclusively inhibited
NHU of lactate, and this was responsible, in a stoichiometric fashion, for
the failure of the delayed increase in glucose Ra during IIH.
