Metabolic changes induced by urethane-anesthesia in rats

1. Fasting hyperglycemia was observed in urethane-anesthetized rats. No significant changes had been observed in fed animals. The effect is dose-dependent, being ineffective doses lesser than 1.4 g/kg of body weight. 2. Urethane originates a rise in glycemia during the first 10 min of anesthesia followed by control values at 30 min, and a latter hyperglycemic phase for more than 60 min that remain at 2 hr. 3. The negative correlationship between plasma glucose, lactate and amino acid levels suggest that gluconeogenesis may be the main responsibility of the observed hyperglycemia during the first phase, but it is possible that during the second phase a decrease in the consumption of glucose may take place as a consequence of the competitive effects of ketone bodies increased during the first 30 min of anesthesia. 4. We postulate that the mechanism of the hyperglycemic response to urethane is a sympathetic response with release of catecholamines both in the liver and in the adrenal gland which enhances gluconeogenesis and lipolysis.