P.P. Zolin¹, V.D. Conway², E.A. Chigrinski³

1–3 Omsk State Medical University (Omsk, Russia)

2 Omsk State Agricultural University named after P.A. Stolypin (Omsk, Russia)     

D-(–)-ribose is a natural metabolite that is a part of various compounds of all living organisms. Presently much data has been obtained on the possibility of correction by exogenous ribose of a number of physiological and metabolic parameters of the organism, including extreme and terminal conditions of it. Ribose is used as a dietary supplement in sports nutrition; clinical trials of its pharmaceuticals are being conducted. Despite the high efficiency proved in numerous experiments, and the fact that ribose is a natural metabolite, it is not absolutely safe. The use of the ribose can be accompanied by various side effects, in our opinion the main of them are the temporary decrease in blood glucose level and the glycation (ribosylation) of the organism's biomolecules. However, these side effects are observed mainly with the insertion of high doses of ribose into the organism. Our previous studies have shown that a relatively low dose of ribose - 50 mg/kg body weight can have a beneficial effect on the physiological and biochemical parameters of the organism even with a single injection. However, it is still questionable that levels of pentoses and their phosphorylated derivatives in internal organs and tissues, after the administration of exogenous ribose. Since data on non-enzymatic glycation of biomolecules not only by ribose but also by its derivatives have recently appeared in the literature, the question of measuring the levels of pentoses in tissues after the administration of exogenous ribose to healthy animals and subjected to various influences becomes topical. The aim of this work is to check the safety of a single administration of ribose at a dose of 50 mg/kg to healthy and resuscitated rats by the criterion of increasing levels of pentose-containing substances in the liver. The absence of an increase in these substances does not imply damage to the biomolecules of the organism by the ribose and its metabolites.

The experiments were conducted on 59 non-inbred white male rats. To simulate clinical death, 34 rats were intubated under ether anesthesia, then the endotracheal tube was closed for 6.5 minutes, after that the animals were resuscitated by artificial respiration and indirect heart massage. 21 successfully resuscitated rats were divided into groups “Resuscitation” and “Resuscitation+Ribose”. The remaining 25 rats were subjected to control influences (anesthesia, fixation, intubation) and were divided into the “Control” and “Ribose” groups. The abdominal cavities of animals of all 4 groups in 30 minutes after resuscitation or control influences under ether anesthesia were opened and their livers were intravitally frozen in liquid nitrogen. 25 minutes before euthanasia, all rats were injected with a 0.9% sodium chloride solution in a volume of 2.5 ml/kg body weight into the femoral vein. The solution administered to animals from the “Ribose” and “Resuscitation+Ribose” groups contained D-ribose at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight. The concentrations of total pentoses, phosphopentoses and non-phosphorylated pentoses were measured in the hydrochloric acid extract of the liver.

It was found that 30 minutes after resuscitation, the content of phosphopentosis in the group “Resuscitation” is reduced by 10% compared with the “Control” group, and the total content of pentoses is reduced by 11%, however, these differences between the groups are not statistically significant. This may indicate a slight decrease in pentose-5-phosphates through the pentose cycle. Intravenous administration of the ribose in the studied dose to healthy animals also did not significantly affect the concentration of the studied fractions of pentoses. The administration of ribose to rats immediately after resuscitation led to a decrease in the group of “Resuscitation+Ribose” compared to the “Control” group: total pentoses by 13%, phosphopentosis by 10%, non-phosphorylated pentoses by 20%. But these differences were also not statistically significant.

Thus, the experiment showed that a single injection of ribose at a dose of 50 mg/kg of body weight to healthy and resuscitated rats does not cause statistically significant changes in the content of total pentoses, phosphopentoses and non-phosphorylated pentoses in the liver. It means that this amount of exogenous ribose is metabolized very quickly. The absence of the elevated level of pentoses of various fractions in the liver, the organ that is the main consumer of exogenous ribose, confirms our assumption that this dosage of ribose is innocuous and not capable of causing pathological ribosylation of cellular biomolecules. The obtained result is especially relevant in the context of the discussion of ribose safety in the scientific literature.

Zolin P.P., Conway V.D., Chigrinski E.A. Substantiation of the innocuous dosage of ribose in the absence of its influence on the level of pentoses and phosphopentoses in the liver. Technologies of Living Systems. 2021. V. 18. № 2. Р. 39–46. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18127/j20700997-202102-05 (in Russian)

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