A controlled study of the hypoglycemic and insulinopoietic effect of glipizide and glibenclamide in non-diabetic human subjects.

The authors studied in 12 non-diabetic women the effect on blood glucose and IRI of 2.5 mg of N-(4-[2-5-methylpyrazine-2-carboxamido)-ethyl]-benzenesulphonyl)-N'-cyclohexyl-urea (glipizide) and N-4[2-5(-chloro-2-methoxy-benzamido)-ethyl]-phenylsulphonyl-N'-cyclohexyl-urea (glibenclamide) given orally as a single dose according to a single blind crossover experimental design. After glipidide the effect on blood glucose was prompter and Immuno Reactive Insulin (IRI) levels higher. These results are in agreement with kinetic studies showing rapid and practically complete absorption of the product from the gastrointestinal tract. This fact together with the fast excretion of the drug and metabolites renders delayed hypoglycemic reactions very unlikely after administration of glipizide.