Effect of fasting on the contractile activity and metabolism of labelled glucose and arachidonic acid in uteri isolated from intact and ovariectomized rat

Abstract

The effects of fasting for 4 days on the isometric developed tension (IDT) and on the metabolism of labelled glucose and arachidonic acid in uteri from intact and spayed (25 days) rats, were explored. Starvation produces a fall in the contractile activity of intact rats, while in ovariectomized ones, no differences can be see with respect to their controls. Fasting produces a fall in the glucose metabolism of both intact and ovariectomized rats, being more noticeable in the former group. Indomethacin (5 × 10 −6 M) increases the metabolism of labelled glucose in all experimental groups, significantly. The metabolism of exogenous arachidonic acid into different eicosanoids, PGE 2, PGF 2α, 6-keto-F 1α and TXB 2, shows that total food deprivation diminishes significantly the production of PGE 2 in intact rats. In contrast, in ovariectomized starved rats, PGE 2 increases markedly. The rest of the metabolites studied are not influenced by fasting. These results show that the effects of fasting on the contractile activity and on the release of some metabolites from arachidonic acid by the uteri isolated from intact rats are not seen in ovariectomized animals.