Glucagon is a pancreatic hormone and a brain-gut peptide thought to function as a short-term satiety signal in control of food intake. This study examined effects of glucagon injection on intake of alcohol, food, and water. Overnight water-deprived female and male Wistar rats (Ns = 10) were given access to 5% w/v ethanol and Purina chow. After adaptation to this schedule, rats received intraperitoneal (ip) injection of 0, 200, or 400 g/kg of glucagon, at 0 or 30 min prior to alcohol access. Food intake was significantly increased by glucagon at 30-60 min after either time of injection (0 or 30 min). Combined total caloric intake (from chow and ethanol) was decreased at 0-30 min after glucagon injection, and increased at 30-60 min after glucagon, reliably in male rats. Immediate declines and delayed increases in feeding after glucagon administration have been reported previously in other feeding paradigms. In addition to acting as a short-term satiety signal for caloric intake, glucagon may function further to sustain blood glucose levels through stimulation of delayed increase in food intake
