Metabolic effects of guanethidine

The metabolic effects of guanethidine were studied in anaesthetized rats. The drug 20 and 40 mg/kg body weight) produced a significant rise in serum free fatty acids (FFA) without significant changes in serum glucose and lactate levels. Epididymal fat pads excised from guanethidine-treated (20 mg/kg body weight) rats and incubated in vitro, exhibited an increased release of FFA and diminished uptake of glucose. Fat pads from normal rats similarly incubated in vitro in presence of various concentrations of the drug showed only a significant increase in FFA release.