title: Mechanism(s) of the blood glucose lowering action of benfluorex.
abstract: Benfluorex is a hypolipidaemic agent with biguanide-like properties. To evaluate its blood glucose lowering action, a single-blind study protocol was designed. Two groups of seven type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients matched for age (50 +/- 4 vs. 53 +/- 1 years), sex, body mass index (27.8 +/- 0.6 vs. 26.5 +/- 0.7 kg/m2), and duration of diabetes were studied before and after 1 month of treatment with benfluorex 150 mg tid (= tres in die = three times a day), PO (= per os = by mouth) or a placebo, respectively. All patients had previously been treated by diet alone. In all patients, parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism were obtained. Insulin sensitivity was assessed by means of a euglycaemic (5.1 +/- 0.1 mM) hyperinsulinaemic (516 +/- 28 pM) clamp performed in combination with [3(-3)H]glucose infusion and indirect calorimetry. In no case was there a significant change in body mass index (27.6 +/- 0.5 vs. 26.4 +/- 0.7 kg/m2). After 1 month of treatment, fasting plasma glucose (6.8 +/- 0.2 vs. 8.1 +/- 0.6 mM) and HbA1C (glycated haemoglobin; 6.5 +/- 0.2 vs. 8.0 +/- 0.7%) were lower in the benfluorex group than in the placebo-treated patients (both p < 0.05). No change was observed in hepatic glucose production (HGP) (13.5 +/- 1.4 vs. 13.9 +/- 1.1 mumol/min per kg), the basal rate of glucose, and lipid oxidation and non-oxidative glucose metabolism, or in plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riccio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vigili de Kreutzenberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dorella
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Da Tos
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Biasi
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Marescotti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tiengo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Del Prato
mesh_terms: D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003927:Diet, Diabetic; D005260:Female; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015309:Glucose Clamp Technique; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001067:Appetite Depressants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002784:Cholesterol; D005277:Fenfluramine; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; C001584:benfluorex