Urethane-induced hyperglycemia.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of urethane, at anesthetic dose, on the blood glucose levels in normal rats and hyperglycemic rats, and its effects on the hypoglycemic action of exogenous insulin in alloxan-treated rats.


METHODS
Blood glucose concentration was measured with the glucose oxidase method.


RESULTS
Urethane at anesthetic dose 1.5 g.kg-1 increased the blood glucose levels in fasting (to 2.6 +/- 0.3 g.L-1, P < 0.01) or glucose-loaded (to 3.9 +/- 0.4 g.L-1, P < 0.01) rats. It did not modify the hyperglycemia induced by epinephrine (normal islet beta-cells) or alloxan (impaired islet beta-cells). In the rats treated with alloxan, blood glucose level decreased to 1.8 +/- 0.7 g.L-1 at 200 min after administration of insulin from control level of 7.0 +/- 2.3 g.L-1, but the hypoglycemic action of exogenous insulin was abolished by urethane.


CONCLUSIONS
Hyperglycemic action of urethane was due to its inhibiting effect on the hypoglycemic effect of insulin, except for its known mechanism of increased sympathetic release.
Wang
M Y
MY
Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China.
Ren
L M
LM
Du
Z J
ZJ
Fu
S X
SX
D000496:Alloxan; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D004837:Epinephrine; D005215:Fasting; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced; D007328:Insulin; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D014520:Urethane / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D014520:Urethane; D000496:Alloxan; D004837:Epinephrine