REGULATION OF LOCUST FLIGHT-MUSCLE METABOLISM BY OCTOPAMINE AND OTHER COMPOUNDS

Octopamine stimulated the oxidation of glucose, trehalose, butyrate and diacyl glycerol in working perfused locust thoracic muscles, and also increased the size of contractions of the muscles. The effects on glucose oxidation in the presence of butyrate was significant at octopamine concentrations of 3 × 10-7 M and increased as the octopamine concentration was raised up to 1 × 10-4. Glucose oxidation was also stimulated by noradrenaline, dopamine, theophylline and dibutyryl cyclic AMP, but to a lesser extent than that found for similar concentrations of octopamine. Extracts of locust corpora cardiaca had little effect on the oxidation of carbohydrates or diacyl glycerol. © 1978.