EFFECTS OF THEOPHYLLINE AND CATECHOLAMINES ON LIPOLYSIS AND GLYCOGENOLYSIS IN VIVO

¹ Department of Anesthesiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York

Doses of 45 and 90 mg/kg of theophylline were administered intraperitoneally to rats which were decapitated 40 min later for blood collection; 45 mg/kg produced a slight increase in plasma concentrations of glucose, lactic acid, free fatty acids (FFA) and glycerol, while 90 mg/kg produced a significant increase in concentrations of these substances. In additional experiments, rats first treated with theophylline were also given, 20 min later, epinephrine (E) or norepinephrine (NE) (50 µg/kg intraperitoneally) and sacrificed as previously. E or NE alone did not significantly change FFA or glycerol levels. However, after 45 mg/kg theophylline pretreatment, E or NE administration produced a significant increase in these substances. Theophylline pretreatment also significantly augmented the increase in lactic acid produced by E and, when given with NE, significantly increased glucose, FFA and glycerol concentrations. These results in vivo are consistent with those observed in vitro.