Failure of fenfluramine to affect basal and insulin-stimulated hexose transport in rat skeletal muscle.

Fenfluramine is an effective appetite suppressant that mediates its action via serotoninergic neurons. We studied the effect of pure d- and l-fenfluramine on in vitro hexose transport in isolated rat soleus muscles and skeletal muscle cells in culture. We found no evidence to suggest that the fenfluramine enantiomers affect the basal transport activity. Furthermore, the drugs did not interfere with the ability of glucose to regulate its own transport. Muscle responsiveness to insulin was not altered by the enantiomers, nor did insulin unmask any effect of fenfluramine on muscle hexose transport. These conclusions are based on experiments performed with a wide concentration range of drug and insulin, from the therapeutic to suprapharmacological levels. We discuss our results in view of published data on the effects of fenfluramine on peripheral glucose metabolism.