The effect of sulphonylurea on the in vivo tissue uptake of glucose in normal rats.

To evaluate the effect of sulphonylurea on in vivo tissue uptake of glucose, the arterial injection tissue-sampling technique of Oldendorf was used to measure the glucose uptake of brain; liver; subcutaneous fat; and of three skeletal muscles, the masseter, femoris and soleus. Rats gavaged with glipizide 5 mg/kg daily for 5 days were compared to vehicle-treated rats. The serum glucose levels at the time of the experiment were identical in the two groups (10.36 +/- 0.42 mmol/l vs 10.38 +/- 0.36 mmol/l). Glipizide treatment did not result in an increase in glucose uptake by the various tissues studied. It is concluded that, under physiological conditions in non-fasted rats, sulphonylureas do not significantly alter tissue uptake of glucose.