Altered hepatic metabolic response to carbohydrate loads in rats with hepatic branch vagotomy or cholinergic blockade

Hepatic pyruvate, lactate and glycogen concentrations were measured 40 min after gavage of 5 ml 35% fructose or glucose to rats with sham surgery or section of the hepatic branch of the vagus nerve. Other animals were treated with saline or the peripheral anticholinergic drug, atropine methyl nitrate, prior to gavage of fructose. The increase in pyruvate concentration produced by the carbohydrate loads was attenuated by both hepatic vagotomy and cholinergic blockade. The increase in lactate concentration after a fructose load was attenuated by hepatic branch vagotomy but not atropine injection. The increase in glycogen deposition after a fructose load was attenuated by atropine injection but not hepatic branch vagotomy. These results suggest that the hepatic metabolic response to fructose and glucose loads in rats depends on a functional parasympathetic nervous system.