Okuda Jun

Action of pure β-D-glucose oxidase on higher animals

Abstract The action of pure β- d -glucose oxidase from Penicillium amagasakiense on higher animals by intravenous administration and per os was studied. In the case of intravenous administration, the values of ld 50 were determined to be 3.50 mg/kg for rabbits, 0.80 mg/kg for rats, and 8.50 mg/kg for mice. When 1.72 mg/kg of β-D-glucose oxidase was administered to the rabbit, the blood glucose of rabbits rapidly decreased on account of the oxidation of β-D-glucose to D-glucono-δ-lactone, reached a minimum (54 per cent decrease) in about 15 min, and returned to normal 2–3 hr. The enzyme activity in blood reached a maximum in 3–7 min, diminished exponentially, and became zero in about 1 hr after the injection. The dissolved oxygen in blood also diminished slightly only for a while after the injection, and the ratio of β- to α- d -glucose distinctly lowered as supposed from the β- d -glucose oxidase reaction. The degree of decrease of blood glucose was almost proportional to the injected amount of β- d -glucose oxidase. On the contrary, in the case of administration per os , no action of the enzyme on mice, rats and rabbits was observed.