Attenuation of insulin-induced drinking by beta-adrenoceptor antagonists

Insulin-induced drinking (IID) in male Wistar rats, evoked by administering 5 U/kg of crystalline porcine insulin i.p., was significantly decreased by propranolol (0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg s.c.) after 1 and 2 h. The blood glucose of rats treated with a much higher dose of propranolol (10 mg/kg body weight) and insulin did not differ from that of rats treated solely with insulin after 30 and 120 min. Atenolol (0.5 mg/kg s.c.) caused a reduction in IID after 1 and 2h. Butoxamine (1 mg/kg s.c.) also reduced IID after 1 and 2h, and at 0.5 mg/kg after 1h. The alpha-blocker, phenoxybenzamine (10 mg/kg s.c.), had the opposite effect, stimulating IID after 2h. There is no direct evidence that insulin activated the sympathetic system at the doses used in these experiments. Nevertheless, the results reported here seem to be compatible with the involvement of the sympathetic system in IID, possible through the renin-angiotensin system.