Effect of Lactic Acid on Plasma Free Fatty Acids in Pancreatectomized Dogs.

MILLER, H. I., B. ISSEKUTZ, JR., P. PAUL, AND K. RODAHL. Effect of lad tic acid on plasma free fatty acids in pancreatectomized dogs. Am. J. Physiol. 207(6): 1226-1230. rg64.-Sodium lactate infusions into unanesthetized pancreatectomized dogs, with indwelling arterial and venous catheters, markedly decreased the plasma free fatty acid (FFA) level. Infusions of palmitate-rCl4 at constant rates showed that the rate of release of FFA was considerably reduced by the lactate. There was an inverse correlation between the logarithm of the plasma FFA concentrations and the logarithm of the blood lactate levels. Glucose infusion alone had no significant effect on the plasma FFA of the pancreatectomized dog. When both lactate and glucose were infused into the pancreatectomized dog, the plasma FFA was inversely correlated with the blood lactate level but not with the blood sugar. When the plasma FFA was elevated in normal dogs by norepinephrine infusion, the FFA-lowering effect of sodium lactate was not prevented. Neither acetylcholine nor nitroglycerine infusions had any marked effect on the plasma FFA. It is concluded that lactic acid has a direct effect on the release of FFA which does not require the presence of insulin and is independent of the blood glucose concentration.