Effect of diltiazem on insulin secretion. I. Experiments in vitro.

Effect of diltiazem on glucose-induced insulin secretion was investigated in the rat islets of Langerhans isolated by a collagenase digestion technique. It was found that B-cells, main constituents of isolated islet preparations, had a well-preserved ultrastructural appearance immediately following isolation or after incubation with glucose or glucose and diltiazem. The islets released a large amount of insulin upon stimulation with glucose and CaCl2. Diltiazem (10(-6)-10(-4) M) produced a dose-related inhibition of glucose-induced insulin secretion and this effect was antagonized by the increase in extracellular concentration of CaCl2. The inhibitory effect of diltiazem on the insulin secretion was also counteracted by dibutyryl-3',5'-cyclic AMP or by theophylline. Among calcium-antagonists tested, nifedipine produced the most powerful inhibitory action on the insulin secretion, while the effect of verapamil was similar to or somewhat stronger than that of diltiazem. It was suggested that diltiazem may reduce the intracellular concentration of free calcium ion, thus causing an inhibitory effect on the glucose-induced insulin secretion by the isolated islets of Langerhans.