Influence of pentamidine and two new trypanocidal agents (DAPI, DIPI) on liver metabolism of mice.

The effects of equimolar doses (65.5 mumol/kg intraperitoneally) of three trypanocidal compounds, i.e., pentamidine, 6-amidino-2-(amidinophenyl)indole (DAPI), and 6-imidazolino-2-(imidazolinophenyl)indole (DIPI) on some parameters of liver carbohydrate, lipid and energy metabolism have been assessed in male NMRI mice. Most prominent effects were an initial increase of the blood glucose and fatty acid levels followed by long lasting increases of the hepatic triglyceride and glycogen contents which were accompanied by decreases of the liver pyruvate and lactate and ATP contents. These effects which can be interpreted as results of a transient lipolytic and glycogenolytic effect and a longer lasting inhibition of the energy yielding carbohydrate metabolism were most pronounced after DAPI and DIPI and less marked after pentamidine.