POTENTIATION OF THE INSULINOTROPIC AND HYPOGLYCEMIC ACTION OF GLIQUIDONE BY SUCCINIC ACID-ESTERS

The monoethyl, monopropyl and monoisopropyl esters of succinic acid, a dministered intravenously at the dose of 2 mu mol/g body weight, were found to increase the insulinotropic action of gliquidone (0.2 nmol/g body weight) in anaesthetized rats. The monoisopropyl ester of succini c acid also doubled the hypoglycemic action of gliquidone. These findi ngs indicate that it is possible to design esters of succinic acid tha t are devoid of the risk of generating methanol by intracellular hydro lysis, and yet susceptible to increase both the insulinotropic and hyp oglycemic responses to antidiabetic agents.