ABSTRACT
Carbon tetrachloride was used to induce cirrhosis in 81 Wistar rats. The animals were divided into three groups to receive end-to-side mesocaval shunt (MCS), end-to-side portacaval shunt (PCS) and Sham operation as control, respectively. Dynamic values of blood glucose and hormones for regulating glucose metabolism, SGPT, serum glycine conjugated cholic acid (CCA) and free serum amino acids were determined and compared with those obtained from 10 normal rats. The determinations suggested that the insulin level depended on the severity of hepatocellular damage with hyperglucagonemia after portasystemic shunt, and CCA was markedly elevated in MCS rats after interruption of the enterohepatic circulation. Changes of CCA were also influenced by hyperglucagonemia and poor liver function in PCS rats. Increase in the aromatic amino acids (AAA) level was related to the impaired hepatic function and hyperglucagonemia. However, decrease in the branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) level was not likely in response to the serum insulin level. Therefore, it is concluded that imbalance of serum amino acids has partial relationship with the derangement of glucose metabolic hormones.
