THE EFFECT OF THIAMINE ON THE CONTENT OF INSULIN-LIKE SUBSTANCE IN MOUSE SERUM

Abstract

1. The concentration of insulin-like substance in the serum of alloxan-diabetic and thiamine-deficient mice is distinctly decreased as compared to the normal animal.
2. The glucose uptake of the isolated mouse diaphragms is reduced in the alloxan-diabetic and thiamine-deficient animals. Administration of thiamine, however, restores the glucose uptake to normal values. In vitro supplementation of thiamine also has a marked enhancing effect on the uptake but differing from insulin addition, no promotion of glycogen production from glucose was observed.
3. In vitro supplementation of thiamine distinctly reduces the insulinase activity of mouse liver but in vivo administration of thiamine has no effect. From the above results it is assumed that thiamine and insulin have not always the same site of action on carbohydrate metabolism but thiamine is synergic in secretion and activity of insulin.