Effect of pharmacological doses of 3-0-methyl-D-glucose and 2-deoxy-D-glucose on rat brain glucose and lactate.

The present investigation examined the effects of two glucose analogues, 3-0-methyl-D-glucose (30MG) and 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DOG) on basal levels of rat brain glucose and lactate. The results showed that pretreatment (iv) with 30MG up to 2 g/kg caused a transient drop in brain glucose levels to 42% of control value within 2.5 min and a drop in lactate levels to 75% of control value by 5 min. 2DOG administration (2 g/kg) affected glucose in a biphasic response with an initial drop to 46% of control value seen by 2.5 min, followed by a progressive increase to 290% of the control value by 40 min. This elevated level of glucose was sustained for approximately 40 min. Lactate levels responded to 2DOG administration by a decrease to 37% of control value within 10 min post-injection and returned to near basal levels by 160 min. A dose response was also examined for both compounds. Behaviorally 30MG had no apparent effects. However, the response to 2DOG was a reduction in voluntary movements, piloerection, irregular clonic jerks, splayed limbs and fits of wild running. These experiments were designed to evaluate the potential of 30MG or 2DOG for attenuating the well documented rise in brain lactate levels following an ischemic insult. Our results suggest that under certain experimental conditions either 30MG or 2DOG could prevent brain lactate rise and might have beneficial effects in minimizing the neuropathological consequences of ischemic damage that could be related to increases in brain lactate.