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Insulin requirement for the antihyperglycaemic effect of metformin.

Authors :
Bailey CJ
Mynett KJ
Source :
British journal of pharmacology [Br J Pharmacol] 1994 Mar; Vol. 111 (3), pp. 793-6.
Publication Year :
1994

Abstract

1. Insulin-dependent diabetic BB/S rats with little or no endogenous insulin were used to determine whether insulin is required for the acute antihyperglycaemic effect of metformin (dimethylbiguanide). 2. Metformin (250 mg kg-1, intrajejunally) did not lower the hyperglycaemia in BB/S rats in the absence of exogenous insulin, but metformin increased by 69% (P < 0.05) the blood glucose-lowering effect of exogenous insulin. 3. Metformin (250 mg kg-1, intrajejunally) improved glucose disposal in rats with a normal insulin response to an intravenous glucose challenge. Plasma glucose disappearance was increased from 0.7 +/- 0.1 to 2.5 +/- 0.1% min-1 (P < 0.05). 3. When the insulin response to glucose was suppressed with somatostatin and diazoxide, metformin improved glucose disposal to a similar extent to that in rats with a normal insulin response. Plasma glucose disappearance was increased from 0.24 +/- 0.02 to 1.0 +/- 0.1% min-1 (P < 0.01). 5. The results indicate that insulin is required for the acute antihyperglycaemic effect of metformin, but the extent of this effect is not proportional to the prevailing insulin concentration.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0007-1188
Volume :
111
Issue :
3
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
British journal of pharmacology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
7912625
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-5381.1994.tb14807.x