Publications of Faculty of Medicine:Modulation Of Glucose Uptake And Plasma Insulin Level With The Use Of An Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor "ACEI" "Enalapril" In Normal And In Experimentally Induced Diabetes In Rats: Abstract

In the present work, glucose uptake by epididvmal pads of fat, diaphragmatic muscle and liver slices isolated from both euglycaemic and diabetic male albino rats in absence and in the presence of insulin was investigated with the use of an ACEI -enalaprir. Moreover Plasma insulin levels both in fasting state, ¼ , 1/2 and an hour after intra-peritoneal glucose loading of male albino rats treated with --ctialaprir was measured. It was found that enalapril significantly improved the rate of glucose uptake by the three mentioned isolated tissue preparations whether in euglycaemic or in diabetic states which markedly increased when insulin was added. Moreover, enalapril increased plasma insulin levels significantly both in fasting state and after glucose loading. Our results provide the experimental evidence that would explain the hypoglycemic effect of ACEI, a finding which may be of clinical value regarding their use in management of diabetic hypertensive patients. Not only this, but also care must be considered to guard against the possibility of hypoglycemic attacks when used in combination with insulin or other hypoglycemic agents.