Different effects of antipsychotic drugs on insulin release in vitro

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of antipsychotic drugs o n insulin release from pancreatic beta cells in vitro. The effect of seven antipsychotics (i.e. chlorpromazine. haloperidol, perphenazine, zuclopenthi xol, clozapine, olanzapine and risperidone) in a concentration of 10(-6) M was investigated on basal and glucose-stimulated insulin release. Clozapine increased basal insulin release, whereas haloperidol inhibited glucose-sti mulated release and the other five antipsychotics had no significant effect s. A possible stimulatory effect of clozapine on insulin release may explai n its ability to increase appetite and induce weight gain. (C) 2001 Elsevie r Science B.V. All rights reserved.