Glimepiride Administered in Chow Reversibly Impairs Glucose Tolerance in Mice

Figure 5

The effect of glimepiride on glucose tolerance is reversible. C3H mice were treated with glimepiride (8 mg/kg/day) for 2 weeks, after which glucose tolerance was assessed. The mice were then switched to the control diet for 3 weeks, and the glucose tolerance was reassessed. After 2 weeks of glimepiride treatment, blood glucose was elevated after fasting and at every time point during the GTT (a). Three weeks after removal of glimepiride, glucose levels had returned to control levels. The area under the curve was increased in glimepiride-treated animals, but returned to normal by three-week posttreatment (b). By three-week posttreatment, insulin levels had also normalized (c). /group. . Closed circles = control group; open circles = glimepiride group (two-week treatment); inverted triangles = three-week posttreatment.

(a)

(b)

(c)