EFFECT OF ANTIDIABETIC AGENTS ON THE INCREASE IN GLYCEMIA AND INSULINEMIA CAUSED BY REFEEDING IN HEREDITARILY DIABETIC RATS

The hypoglycemic agents, glibenclamide and repaglinide, when administe red intragastrically to overnight fasted hereditarily diabetic animals , were found to oppose the rise in the plasma insulin/glucose ratio ot herwise evoked by refeeding of the GK rats. Such was not the case afte r oral administration of glimepiride, despite the fact that this sulfo nylurea minimized the rise in glycemia associated with refeeding. The altered restoration of a high insulin/glucose ratio in GK rats that re ceived glibenclamide or repaglinide before refeeding suggests that the se long-acting hypoglycemic agents may delay the refeeding-induced rel ief of the B-cell from the fasting-associated refractoriness to glucos e.