Actions of fenfluramine on glucose uptake in vitro and in vivo.

Fenfluramine stimulates the glucose uptake of the isolated hemidiaphragm from normal and streptozotocin diabetic rats in the presence of insulin. The drug does not cause an increased storage of glycogen. During hind leg perfusion of the dog fenfluramine stimulated peripheral glucose uptake. No increase in lactate or in free fatty acids release was observed during prolonged infusions of the drug. Fenfluramine caused an improvement of glucose tolerance in normal glucose-primed rats. A single dose of fenfluramine significantly lowered the blood glucose levels in streptozotocin diabetic rats and in diabetic dogs treated with insulin. Prolonged treatment with fenfluramine of streptozotocin diabetic rats had no significant effect on blood glucose levels. Additional treatment for one week of insulin dependent diabetic dogs with small non-anorexic doses of fenfluramine resulted in slightly decreased blood glucose levels. The dogs could not be maintained on fenfluramine alone (without insulin).