Alloxan-like action of some SH-inhibitors on glucose tolerance in rabbits.

SYNOPSIS This report was designed to grasp exactly the action of alloxan by the true tolerance test reported by Takeuchi (1961). The action of alloxan is manifested in two different ways depending on the dose; e-k decreased in a smaller dose and increased in a larger dose. The former is named mesoxalic acid-like action and the latter alloxan-like action. The effect of the compounds related with alloxan, active SH-compounds and SH-inhibitors on e-k and C were screened by this "glucose tolerance test".(a) SH-acetic acid and its derivatives were found to produce diabetic rabbits. This diabetes, which was differentiated from alloxan diabetes in several symptoms, was concluded to result from inactivation of circulating insulin.(b) Some SH-inhibitors such as p-chloromercuri benzoate and N-ethyl maleimide and its derivatives, were concluded to have a resemble activity with that of alloxan, but seemed to be more violent. This fact was concluded to give a potential evidence in support of the hypothesis that the diabetic activity of alloxan might be derived from its SH-inhibiting activity. (c) Some chelating agents, anthranilic acid and its OH-substitutes, were evidenced to have an alloxan-like action, though slightly. The possibility that alloxan-like action might be based on its chelating activity was discussed in brief.