Cerebral glycogenolysis and glycolysis in malathion-treated hyperglycaemic animals.

Treatment with malathion resulted in an increase in the level of blood glucose and lactate and reduced cerebral glycogen, 2 hr after its administration. The blood pyruvate level was not changed. The activities of glycogenolytic enzymes (glycogen phosphorylase and phosphoglucomutase) were increased significantly in the brain, whereas that of glucose-6-phosphatase remained unchanged. The activity of the glycolytic enzyme-hexokinase was increased significantly in malathion-treated animals, whereas those of the glucose-6-phosphate and lactate dehydrogenases were not significantly changed. The changes in enzyme activities may be a compensatory mechanism to provide energy in the form of glucose to cerebral tissue on account of stimulatory effects in malathion-treated animals.