[Effect of mazindol on insulin and glucagon secretion in ventromedial hypothalamic obese rats]

The effect of mazindol on insulin and glucagon secretion was studied in ventromedial hypothalamic lesioned (VMH) obese rats with hyperinsulinemia and VMH sham rats. Three weeks after the VMH or sham operation, VMH and sham rats were divided into two groups: one was fed diet containing mazindol (50 mg/kg) and the other was fed diet without mazindol. They were housed three more weeks before the experiment. Mazindol reduced significantly body weight increase and calorie intake in VMH rats, but not in sham rats. In addition, the fasting plasma insulin level and the arginine-induced insulin secretion in VMH rats treated with mazindol were significantly lower than those in the VMH rats without treatment of mazindol. On the other hand, in both in vivo and in vitro experiments, mazindol produced no significant change in the insulin secretion of sham-operated rats. These results suggest that mazindol suppresses hypersecretion of insulin in VMH rats probably through an anorectic effect and/or suppression of vagal hyperactivity.