EFFECT OF DIETARY L-GLUTAMINE ON THE HEPATOTOXIC ACTION OF D-GALACTOSAMINE IN RATS

The protective effect of dietary L-glutamine against the hepatotoxic a ction of D-galactosamine (GaIN) was investigated by model experiments with rats, Rats fed with 20% casein diets containing 10% free amino ac ids were injected with GaIN, and the serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities and the hepatic glycogen content were assayed 20 hours after the injection. T hese enzyme activities in the group fed with the 10% L-glutamine diet for 8 days were lower than those in the groups fed with the control, 1 0% L-glutamic acid and 10% L-alanine diets for 8 days, The more prolon ged the feeding period with the 10% L-glutamine diet was, the more the serum activity levels of such enzymes were decreased. Although neomyc in also lowered these enzyme activities, its simultaneous ingestion wi th neomycin did not show any additive or synergistic effect. The hepat ic glycogen content in the 10% glutamine group still remained high aft er the GaIN treatment, It is therefore assumed that the effectiveness of glutamine intake would have been mediated by glycogen metabolism ra ther than by uridine metabolism.