Folia Parasitologica 31[3] 259-263 (1984)

Glycogen content in Gastrothylax crumenifer and Cotylophoron orientale after the isolation of parasites, their starvation and refeeding with various carbohydrates.

R Bahadur, P C Gupta

The average reserve glycogen content in unstarved (control) parasites, 4.7 +/- 0.14 g/100 g F.T. (fresh weight of tissue) in Gastrothylax crumenifer and 3.15 +/- 0.14 g/100 g F.T. in Cotylophoron orientale has been estimated biochemically. The consumption of endogenous glycogen was found to be 18.47%, 44.37%, 66.66% and 78.13% of F. T. in G. crumenifer and 14.92%, 40.95%, 66.34% and 71.42% of F.T. in C. orientale during 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours of starvation. Both the parasites were able to resynthesize 71.71% and 75.42% of lost glycogen (maximum up to 16 hours) on refeeding in nutrient medium containing glucose. The maximum resynthesis of lost glycogen in both the parasites was observed in nutrient medium containing glucose rather than the other carbohydrates such as fructose, lactose, sucrose and trehalose.

Published: September 1, 1984  Show citation