[Fatty acid oxidation inhibitors - a new group of antidiabetic drugs. 2. Experimental study of the hypoglycemic effect of hydrocinnamic acid compared with phenformin].

Intraperitoneal injection of hydrocinnamic (beta-phenylpropionic) acid inhibited gluconeogenesis from 14C-1-alanine, 14C-1-oleate oxidation, and intensified 14C-1-glucose oxidation in normal and diabetic rats. Hydrocinnamic acid induced significant hypoglycemia in intact animals and normalized hyperglycemia in rats with alloxan diabetes in the course of 24 hours after the administration. Phenformin proved to decrease glucose oxidation in the intact and diabetic rats, producing no marked effect on fatty acid oxidation, whereas in intact animals it caused moderate hypoglycemia and failed to influence hyperglycemia in the rats with alloxan diabetes. Fatty acid oxidation inhibitors are suggested as means of pathogentic therapy in diabetes mellitus.