The effect of starvation and a subsequent glucose load on the concentrations of the ketone bodies in the blood of the baboon ( Papio ursinus)

Abstract

1. 1. The mean concentrations of aceto-acetate and 3-hydroxybutyrate in the blood of a group of 22 baboons were found to be low before starvation (0–042 μmole per ml. and 0–052 μmole per ml. respectively) but increased twenty- to forty-fold 72 hours after starvation to mean values of 0.63 and 2.21 fimole per ml. respectively. 2. 2. The mean serum free fatty-acid (FFA) concentration similarly increased from 0.58 mEq./l. to 1.84 mEq./l. during this starvation period. 3. 3. The ketone-body concentration increased exponentially with increasing serum FFA concentration. 4. 4. The ratio 3-hydroxybutyrate : aceto-acetate concentration increased significantly from a mean value of 1.48 to 4.02 after starvation. 5. 5. The administration of glucose after starvation produced a rapid decrease in the FFA concentration from 1.84 to 0.83 mEq./l. 60 minutes after glucose. 6. 6. The mean 3-hydroxybutyrate concentration decreased slowly after glucose and reached 50 per cent of the initial concentration after 2 hours.