ANTIKETOGENIC SUBSTANCES 443 



Other substances which are easily combustible in the 

 economy also have an antiketogenic action, in the same way 

 as carbohydrates. According to Embden it is also possible, 

 in experimental perfusion of the liver, to inhibit the forma- 

 tion of acetone bodies by adding easily oxidizable substances 

 to the perfusion fluid. For example, we may prevent the 

 production of diacetic acid from caproic acid by introducing 

 into the liver valerianic acid (which is not a source of acetone 

 bodies, because of the uneven number of its carbon atoms). 29 

 It is conceivable that substances of very varied character 

 (as xylose, gluconic acid, mannite, glycerol, alcohol, tartaric 

 acid, lactic acid, propionic acid, citric acid, glycocoll, alanin, 

 glutaminic acid) which readily undergo combustion in the liv- 

 ing body, may at times manifest an antiketogenic power. 30 

 An especially marked antiketogenic influence is ascribed by 

 J. Baer and L. Blum (from their observations in phoridzin 



COOH 



CH, 

 diabetes) to glutaric acid, CH 2 ; it is said its antiketogenic 



CH 2 



COOH 



influence is all the more definite, the more marked the sugar 

 excretion and the more severe the disturbance of metabolism 

 which manifests itself in the acidosis. In severe acidosis 

 and high grade glycosuria after phloridzin administration 

 the authors mentioned have observed a complete disappear- 

 ance of sugar and of oxybutyric acid, along with marked 

 reduction in the nitrogen elimination. A similar influence is 

 ascribed also to the homologous dicarbooxylic acids with five 

 to ten carbon atoms in their chains, the influence decreas- 



29 G. Embden and S. Wirth, Biochem. Zeitschr., 27, 1, 1910. 



30 Cf. Literature: A. Magnus-Levy, Noorden's Handb. d. Pathol. d. Stoffw., 

 2d ed., 1, 184, 1906; G. Satta (Frankfurt a. M.), Hofmeister's Beitr., 6, 376, 

 1905; J. Bar and L. Blum (Strassburg), Hofmeister's Beitr., 10, 90, 1907; 

 11, 101, 1908; Arch. f. exper. Pathol., 65, 1, 1911; 0. Neubauer, Mtinchener 

 med. Wochenschr., 1906, 791. 



