Effect of diet supplementation with l-carnitine on hepatic catabolism of l-alanine in rats

AIM: To investigate the effects of chronic supplementation with l-camitine (LCT) on hepatic catabolism of l-alanine. METHODS: Two groups of male adult Wistar rats were used: 1) supplemented with LCT (1.2 mmol (.) kg(-1) (.) d(-1)) dissolved in the drinking water (LCT group) and 2) control group (COG) without LCT supplementation. After one week of LCT supplementation livers from 24 h-fasted rats were perfused in situ and the production of glucose, urea, pyruvate, and l-lactate from l-alanine (5 mmol/L) were measured. RESULTS: LCT decreased the production of glucose and urea from I-alanine. In agreement, pyruvate and l-lactate production from l-alanine were decreased. However, the supplementation with LCT did not show any significant effect on hepatic glucose production from pyruvate (5 mmol/L) and l-lactate (2 mmol/L). CONCLUSION: LCT supplementation decreased the conversion of l-alanine to pyruvate. However the ability of the liver to convert pyruvate to glucose was not affected by LCT treatment.