Pirogliride: an oral hypoglycemic drug which accelerates glucose usage and insulin secretion by islets of Langerhans.

Pirogliride potentiates glucose-induced insulin secretion from isolated islets. This effect is accompanied by a facilitated glucose metabolism. Pirogliride partially prevents the known inhibitory effects of mannoheptulose on glucose-induced secretion and utilization. Pirogliride might be useful not only to probe the underlying mechanism of stimulated insulin secretion but also in the therapy of those diabetics who have an impaired beta-cell responsiveness to glucose.