Lack of hyperglycemic effect of chlorothiazide in normal rats fed diets with different carbohydrate content

The effect of chlorothiazide (CT) on blood glucose and liver glycogen was investigated in rats fed either a standard, a carbohydrate-rich, or a carbohydrate-poor diet. CT did not alter blood glucose concentration or liver glycogen content in rats fed the carbohydrate-rich diet. After 5 days on the carbohydrate-poor diet, an oral glucose load produced significantly smaller rate constant for glucose disappearance from blood and significantly greater area below the glucose concentration--time curve than after a standard diet, but CT did not further alter these parameters. Nor did oral CT for 19 days alter glucose tolerance. In conclusion, CT in single dose or short term studies does not seem to alter glucose metabolism in the normal male rat.