The effect of adrenal denervation on the metabolic effects of hyperammonemia in sheep

The metabolic effect of intravenous infusion of ammonium chloride (60 mumol/(kg body weight.min] was compared in five sheep before and after adrenal denervation. Adrenal denervation completely abolished the hyperglycemic effect of ammonium chloride, diminished the rise of pyruvate and lactate concentration, and failed to influence the lipolytic effect of NH4Cl. It is suggested that the metabolic effects of ammonia are in a different degree related to the action of ammonia on the central nervous system and (i) the hyperammonemic effect of ammonia completely depends on the neurogenic increase of adrenal medullary hormones; (ii) the rise of blood lactate and pyruvate level observed during hyperammonemia is only partially mediated by adrenaline; and (iii) the lipolytic effect of ammonia ion does not depend on the nerve-controlled secretion of adrenal medullary hormones.