Importance of the intestine as a site of metformin‐stimulated glucose utilization

• Published in: British journal of pharmacology 1994-06, Vol.112 (2), p.671-675
• Main Authors: Bailey, C.J., Mynett, K.J., Page, T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Deoxyglucose - metabolism; General and cellular metabolism. Vitamins; Glucose - metabolism; Glucose - pharmacology; glucose utilization; hind limbs; Insulin - pharmacology; Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism; intestine; Intestines - blood supply; Male; Medical sciences; Metformin; Metformin - pharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Regional Blood Flow - drug effects; Stimulation, Chemical
• ISSN: 0007-1188; 1476-5381
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1994.tb13128.x

1 The intestine has been implicated as a site of increased glucose utilization by the antihyperglycaemic drug, metformin. This study makes a quantitative assessment of this effect. 2 Glucose utilization by the intestine and hind limb region was determined by arterial‐venous glucose difference adjusted for blood flow rate in fasted rats receiving a hyperglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic infusion. 3 Intrajejunal administration of metformin, 250 mg kg−1, increased glucose disposal during the infusion procedure, associated with increased glucose utilization in the intestine by 69% and in the hind limb region by 40%. 4 Metformin, 250 mg kg−1, increased glucose disappearance during an intravenous glucose tolerance test. This was accompanied by increased uptake of tritiated 2‐deoxy‐d‐glucose into the intestinal mucosa to a greater extent than into skeletal muscles (per unit wet weight of tissue). 5 The results demonstrate that the intestinal mucosa is a quantitatively important site of increased glucose utilization during the blood glucose‐lowering effect of metformin.