Syed Mohsin Ahmed
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of ATP – sensitive potassium channel opener, nicorandil on insulin production in alloxan – induced diabetic rats. METHODS: In an attempt to ascertain the involvement of ATP sensitive potassium channels in the regulation of insulin release, the effect of nicorandil on ATP sensitive potassium channel was studied. Albino rats of Wistar strain, weighing between 200–250 grams of either sex were used for the study. Diabetes was induced by injecting alloxan monohydrate 2% solution intra - peritoneally in a dose of 150 mg/kg body weight. Animals with fasting blood glucose (FBS) between 200 – 300 mg/dl were selected for the study. They were divided into 3 groups of six animals each. Group I serving as control received 2% gum acacia orally for 30 days, Group II as standard was given orally glibenclamide (0.5 mg/kg body weight) for 30 days & Group III was treated orally for 30 days with nicorandil (0.3 mg/kg body weight) respectively. Fasting blood sugar (FBS) was recorded in all the rats on 1 st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th days. RESULT: Results show that glibenclamide has significantly reduced the blood sugar levels (P<0.05), whereas nicorandil has shown a significant rise in blood sugar level (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The study shows that nicorandil worsens existing diabetes. This may attribute to the hypothesis that the opening of ATP sensitive potassium channels on beta cells of pancreas leads to inhibition of insulin release. These findings suggest that potassium channel openers should be avoided in presence of diabetes.
