INFLUENCE OF THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM ON THE INTESTINAL ABSORPTION OF A HYPERTONIC SOLUTION OF GLUCOSE

¹ Department of Pharmacology and of Biological Chemistry, Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

The changes in volume and the absorption of glucose from 4 cc. of a 10% solution of glucose placed in a loop of small intestine 16 cm. long with intact circulation have been studied under various conditions in cats anesthetized with Nembutal.

Normally there is an increase in volume with a later decrease (Fig.1), while the glucose is absorbed rapidly during the first few minutes and later more slowly (Fig.2).

Atropine prevents much increase in the original volume but does not affect the absorption of glucose.

Prostigmine and ergotamine increase the volume of the solution significantly; on the other hand while prostigmine does not affect the absorption of glucose, ergotamine reduces it significantly (Figs.1 and 2).

Stimulation of the splanchnic with or without the adrenal does not alter the volume of the solution to an important degree. But while stimulation of the splanchnic with the adrenals intact does not change the absorption of glucose significantly, stimulation of the splanchnic without the adrenal causes a significantly greater absorption of glucose (Figs.3 and 4).

Acute section of the abdominal vagi does not change the absorption of the fluid from the intestinal loop; on the other hand it promotes the absorption of glucose to a significant extent. Stimulation of these nerves causes a greater increase in the volume and also alters the absorption of glucose significantly (Figs.5 and 6).