The effect of antenatal administration of solcoseryl on hepatic glycogen synthesis in rat fetuses with intrauterine growth retardation.

The effect of antenatal solcoseryl administration on hepatic glycogen synthesis and storage was studied in normal developing and intrauterine growth-retarded (IUGR) rat fetuses using biochemical analyses. The maximal effect of solcoseryl occurred 2 hours after administration. The glycogen content of the liver showed a significant increase in normal and IUGR fetuses with antenatal solcoseryl administration compared to their non-solcoseryl counterparts (p < 0.05). The activities of glycogen synthase enzymes, total and active forms, showed significant increases, at p < 0.05 and p < 0.005, respectively, in IUGR fetuses with antenatal solcoseryl administration. Active synthase also increased in normal fetuses with antenatal solcoseryl administration (p < 0.05). There were no significant changes in the activities of glycogen phosphorylase enzyme. These findings suggest that antenatal solcoseryl administration stimulates hepatic glycogen synthesis and storage in IUGR rat fetuses, and thus might favorably influence the development of neonatal hypoglycemia.