title: Kinetics and metabolic effects of orally administered ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate in healthy subjects fed with a standardized regimen.
abstract: In accordance with previous results obtained with traumatized patients, ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate (OKG) was orally administered to 10 healthy subjects fed with a standardized regimen. Six similarly fed control subjects received only water. Plasma and 24-h urinary amino acids and alpha-ketoglutarate, plasma glucose, plasma insulin, and urine urea were all measured. After administration of ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate, the rapid decrease in blood ornithine to basal values, the absence of any increase in plasma alpha-ketoglutarate levels, and the minimal increase in ornithine, alpha-ketoglutarate, and urea urinary elimination, all indicated intense metabolism and utilization of the two compounds. These results suggest that the hyperornithinemia observed in 4-h fasting, traumatized patients receiving ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate reflects a metabolic perturbation in the utilization of this amino acid after trauma, rather than a hypothetical slow utilization. On the other hand, ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate induced an increase in insulin levels causing hypoglycemia and probably a decrease in plasma levels of several amino acids.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007656:Ketoglutaric Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008660:Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D009952:Ornithine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D014508:Urea / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D007656:Ketoglutaric Acids; C002118:ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate; D014508:Urea; D009952:Ornithine