Effect of ATP on Diphtheria Toxaemia

Chapter III. Effect of ATP on carbohydrate metabolism of guinea pigs affected by diphtheria toxin

Abstract

Regarding the metabolic disturbances due, to diphtheria toxaemia studies so far conducted have largely centered on carbohydrate metabolism.
In Chapter I, fluctuations in the blood sugar, lactic acid, pyruvic acid and citric acid levels of diphtheria patients were examined by the author and, in this chapter, changes in carbohydrate metabolism in experimental diphtheritic toxaemia was investigated.
The blood sugar, lactic acid and pyruvic acid levels were seen to rise temporarily after injection of diphtheria toxin, but go down subsequently, eventually leading to death.
The citric acid contents, following injection of diphtheria toxin, did not show any marked change, but were seen to rise sharply immediately prior to death.
With the group administered with diphtheria toxin-ATP, the fluctuations in theafore-mentioned contents were not apparent and the animals continued to live.
In the light of this, it was confirmed that ATP worked to prevent disturbancecaused by diphtheria toxin in the carbohydrate metabolism in a living body.