Action of actinomycin D on gastro-intestinal glucose uptake and on the glucose effect upon rat liver tyrosine transaminase activity

An oral load of glucose in fasted rats led to a marked and sustained decrease in the activity of liver tyrosine transaminase. Intraperitoneal administration of actinomycin D, 1 h prior to the glucose feeding, inhibited this “glucose affect”. Further study using 14 C-labelled glucose showed that 3 h after incubation, 68% of t he glucose was retained in the stomach and intestine of rats pretreated with the drug as compared to 28% for the controls. Concurrently, less glucose appeared in bollod, muscle and liver glycogen in the actinomycin D-treated rats. Thus, the action of actinomycin D on the effect upon liver tyrosine transminase is most likely to be secondary to inhibition of glucose absorption.