Hypoglycemic properties of taurine: not mediated by enhanced insulin release.
Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) has been shown to be a potent hypoglycemic agent in the Wistar Kyoto rat (WKY). Glucose and insulin levels were measured in serum at various times after glucose loading (400 mg/kg, i.p.). Pretreatment with taurine (200 mg/kg, i.p.) attenuated the rise in serum glucose levels at 0.5 hr after glucose administration. In addition, taurine also prevented the rise in serum immunoreactive insulin levels. The taurine analogue hypotaurine produced a similar inhibition in the rise of both serum glucose and insulin levels while beta-alanine, the carboxylic acid derivative of taurine, was totally ineffective. The enhanced glucose clearance can be explained by an increase in deoxyglucose accumulation in skeletal muscle and liver. In the liver, a 50% increase in glycogen synthesis was observed. A possible interrelationship between taurine and insulin receptor is discussed.
D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003847:Deoxyglucose / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000187:drug effects; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013654:Taurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D013654:Taurine; D003847:Deoxyglucose; D011972:Receptor, Insulin