Plasma Free Fatty Acids and the Rare-Earth Fatty Liver.

The Behavior of Certain Lanthanons in Rats

“…The present experimental results confirm some earlier reports which state that the rare earth metals in a certain concentration are capable of lowering the level of glucose in the blood (Fischler & Roeckl 1938, Trapmann 1959, Snyder & Stephens 1961. Fischler & Roeckl (1938) made their observations on rabbits with lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium, yttrium, and cerit, which is a mixtwe of various lanthanons but mainly cerium, neodymium, and lanthanum.…”

“…After the intravenous administration of cerium to female rats, the liver shows a diffuse lesion in the form of a fatty degeneration. In this respect, the investigation confirms the earlier known fact that certain lanthanons (lanthanum to samarium) produce fatty liver degeneration in female rats (Fischler & Roeckl 1938, Hara & Sat0 1955, Kyker et al 1957a, Neubert & Hoffmeister 1960, 1960a, Snyder & Stephens 1961. In male rats, however, another picture was seen.…”

“…Fischler & Roeckl (1938) made their observations on rabbits with lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium, yttrium, and cerit, which is a mixtwe of various lanthanons but mainly cerium, neodymium, and lanthanum. Snyder & Stephens (1961) observed the blood sugar lowering effect after intravenous administration of cerium to rats. In contrast to the above mentioned works, there is information which states that cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, and praseodymium can produce a hyperglycemia in rabbits after intravenous administration (Mori 1931).…”

“…The great interest in lanthanons during the last decades has caused a number of investigations of liver damage. This damage consists of fatty changes of the liver but only the light lanthanons (up to and including samarium) will produce it , Neubert & Hoffmeister 1960, Snyder et al 1960a, Snyder & Stephens 1961, Glenn et al 1962. Fatty liver, however, can only be produced under certain conditions.…”