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. 1977 Jun 15;164(3):557–564. doi: 10.1042/bj1640557

Hypoketonaemic effect of L-alamine. Specific decrease in blood concentrations of 3-hydroxybutyrate in the rat.

P T Ozand, W D Reed, J Girard, R L Hawkins, R M Collins Jr, J T Tildon, M Cornblath
PMCID: PMC1164832  PMID: 883951

Abstract

1. The injection of L-alanine (50-100 mg/kg) into 35-day-old rats that had been starveed for 48 h increased blood L-alanine concentration to values observed in fed animals and lowered the blood concentration of 3-hydroxybutyrate within 2 min. 2. This hypoketon aemic action of L-alanine was specific for 3-hydroxybutyrate, since the acetoacetate concentrations did not change significantly. 3. The decrease in 3-hydroxybutyrate elicited by L-alanine was not related to changes in the blood concentrations of insulin, glucagon, growth hormone, glucose, unesterified fatty acids, lactate or pyruvate. 4. The injection of L-alanine resulted in a decrease in total ketones that was apparently unrelated to their increased peripheral utilization. These results are interpreted as an anti-ketogenic action of L-alanine. 5. The data suggest that L-alamine lowers ketone-body formation in starved rats, possibly via an alteration in hepatic redox equilibrium.

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Selected References

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