The role of hepatic glycogen stores in anaerobic metabolism in rats.

Plasma levels of lactate and oxypurines markedly increased in both fed and fasted rats exposed to three acute anoxic states, cyanide poisoning, carbon monoxide poisoning and inhalation of oxygen-deficient gas, suggesting that the transition of aerobic to anaerobic metabolism occurred similarly in both groups. Plasma glucose level of fed rats increased 1.8-2.5 times after exposure to anoxia, whereas a remarkable hypoglycemia was induced by the exposure of fasted rats to anoxia. Hepatic glycogen stores in fed rats induced hyperglycemia, while exhaustion of the stores in fasted rats resulted in severe hypoglycemia during acute anoxia.