Alterations in carbohydrate metabolism by exogenous dexamethasone and corticosterone in post‐hatched white leghorn chicks

Abstract

1. Alterations in carbohydrate metabolism in terms of tissue glycogen contents, phosphorylase (EC 2.4.1.1) activity, hepatic glucose‐6‐phosphatase (6–6‐Pase: EC 3.1.3.9) activity and blood glucose have been evaluated in 30‐d‐old White Leghorn chicks under induced chronic hypocorticalism (by dexamethasone: DXM) and hy‐percorticalism (by corticosterone: CORT).

2. DXM treatment showed increased tissue glycogen contents and hypoglycaemia with decreased phosphorylase activity while CORT treatment produced a reverse set of changes.

3. Both steroid treatments increased hepatic G‐6‐Pase activity. These observations have been taken to indicate a definite role for glucocorti‐coids in regulating carbohydrate metabolism in neonatal chicks.

4. It is suggested that hypo‐ or hyper‐corticalism could influence carbohydrate metabolism by affecting the secretory/activity ratio of pancreatic hormones.