Effects of cows' urine concoction with and without tobacco leaves on plasma glucose concentration in fasted rats.

The effects of a full preparation (FP) and a modified preparation (MP) of cows' urine concoction (CUC) on the level of plasma glucose in fasted male Wistar rats were investigated. The results showed that FP caused significant hyperglycaemia; while the MP and a control injection using 0.9% saline had no effect on plasma glucose. Hexamethonium, prazosin, propranolol and combined prazosin and propranolol did not abolish the hyperglycaemic response to FP. The mechanism of the hyperglcaemic response to FP and the reason why MP did not produce hypoglycaemia are obscure. The result of this study did not agree with the findings of CUC-induced hypoglycaemia reported by earlier workers.