Metabolic and hormonal effects of dexfenfluramine on stress situations

Chronic treatment of rats with dexfenfluramine decreased the concentrations of circulating corticosterone, fatty acid, glycerol, and triacylglycerol after feeding a test load of fructose. It also decreased the rise in adrenalin in the blood of rats that were anaesthetized with urethane. These effects of dexfenfluramine probably result from changes in the metabolism of 5-HT in the CNS and consequent alterations in hormonal balance. It is proposed that the long-term metabolic effects of dexfenfluramine could be explained by a decrease in the effectiveness of stress hormones (e.g., glucocorticoids, corticotropin, catecholamines, glucagon) in regulating metabolism since these hormones antagonize many of the actions of insulin. This hypothesis also identifies the possibility that the ability of dexfenfluramine to decrease an exaggerate stress response could alleviate some of the potential risk factors associated with atherosclerosis including obesity and maturity onset diabetes.