Abstract

The effects of chronic metabolic acidosis, alkalosis and alloxan-induced
ketoacidosis on G6PD activity of rat kidney, liver and erythrocytes were
studied. Metabolic acidosis significantly increased the activity of kidney
enzyme (55%) but decreased the liver (43%) and erythrocyte (38%) enzyme
activities. Alkalosis did not make a significant change in the kidney or liver
enzyme activity but slightly decreased that of the erythrocyte enzyme. In
alloxan-induced diabetic rats, the rise in G6PD activity of kidney (69%) was
associated with a decline in the enzyme activities of liver (50%) and
erythrocytes (51%). It is suggested that in alloxan-induced diabetes,
ketoacidosis is mainly responsible for the change in G6PD activity of various
tissues and different organs do not respond similarly toward metabolic acidosis
or alkalosis.