Effect of chronic treatment with amlodipine in non-insulin-dependent diabetic rats

We have investigated the effects of amlodipine on streptozotocin-(STZ) induced neonatal non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) rats. NIDDM was induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ (70 mg kg-1) to 5-day-old rat pups. The animals were weaned at 30 days and maintained with food and water ad libitum for 3 months. Amlodipine (5 mg kg-1 p.o.) was administered for 6 weeks after the animals were confirmed diabetic (3 months after the STZ injection). A group of control animals were also maintained and this group received citrate buffer 5 days after birth. Fasting- and fed-glucose levels in NIDDM rats were significantly higher than control rats. Treatment with amlodipine reduced the elevated fasting- and fed-glucose levels significantly. Results of the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) revealed the glucose tolerance is impaired in the NIDDM rats. There was a marked increase in glucose levels after oral administration of glucose in the control NIDDM rats. Increased glucose levels were found to be associated with increased insulin levels. Treatment with amlodipine in the NIDDM rats caused a decrease in insulin release, however, glucose levels were found to be lowered significantly indicating that amlodipine causes an increase in insulin sensitivity. In conclusion, our data indicated that amlodipine increases insulin sensitivity in neonatal-STZ NIDDM rats.