Stimulation of insulin release in hereditarily diabetic rats by mixed molecules formed of nateglinide and a succinic acid ester.

Hereditarily diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats were infused for 5 min with saline, containing as required nateglinide or mixed molecules (HD154 and HD166) with both a nateglinide moiety and a succinic acid ester moiety. The dose of these agents given intravenously amounted to 5.0 nmol/g body weight in all cases. All agents provoked a comparable early increase in plasma insulin concentration. However, HD154 and HD166, but not nateglinide itself, also caused a secondary rise in plasma insulin concentration 30 min after their infusion. It is proposed that mixed molecules formed of both a hypoglycemic sulfonylurea or meglitinide analog and a succinic acid ester may be better able than the antidiabetic agents themselves to evoke a sustained stimulation of insulin release in non-insulin-dependent diabetes.