Effect of prostaglandin E2 [PGE2] on carbohydrate metabolism in normotensive and induces hypertensive rats

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of the vasodilator PGE2 on carbohydrate metabolism in both normotensive and hypertensive adult male rats. PGE2 was injected intraperitoneally in a dose of 40 mug/kg body weight per day to normotensive and hypertensive groups for 8, 16, and 24 days. Hypertension was induced in normal rats by administration one subcutaneous injection of an aqueous suspension of 25 mg/kg body weight of deoxycorticosterone acetate [DOCA] per week. Moreover, a saline solution was given to rats to drink during the four weeks of hypertension induction periods. PGE2 caused significant glycogenolytic effect with a corresponding hyperglycemia after 16 and 24 days of treatment in normotensives and hypertensives. However, glucose-6-phosphatase exhibited insignificant increase throughout the experimental periods. Lactate levels in serum increased insignificantly, but the increase reached significant value after 24 days of treatment in normotensive animals. Activity of lactate dehydrogenase in serum and liver did not change significantly after injecting PGE2 at any time interval. Long-term administration of low doses of PGE2 caused significant increases in serum glucose with corresponding declines in liver glycogen levels in both normotensive and hypertensive rats