Effect of Chemical Sympathectomy on Glycogen Storage in Rat Skeletal Muscle in Thermal Trauma

Abstract

The glycogen storage in rat skeletal muscle is reduced after a 20% third degree burn. The reason is probably a relative deficiency of insulin caused by insulin resistance at the tissue level. Posttraumatically increased sympatho-adrenal function has been suspected to cause this insulin resistance. In an earlier study, however, it has been shown that adrenal demedullation has no effect on the glycogen storage. In the present investigation an attempt was made to assess the importance of the increased peripheric sympathetic activity. Muscle glycogen, serum insulin and blood glucose were determined at the end of a glucose infusion after infliction of a burn both in 6-hydroxy-dopamine treated rats and rats with an intact peripheric sympathetic nervous system. It was found that a chemical sympathectomy did not improve the glycogen storage. The result indicates that the increased activity of the sympatho-adrenal system after a burn is not the main cause of the reduced skeletal muscle glycogen storage.