Sulphonylureas, hypoglycaemic action

Antidiabetics azapropazone and phenylbutazone inhibit the metabolism of sulphonylurea hypoglycaemics, increasing their intensity and duration of action. 

II.f.2.2. Sulphonylureas. These drugs stimulate pancreatic /3-cell insulin secretion, reduce serum glucagon levels, potentiate insulin action on target tissues, and improve /3-cell function. The sulphonylureas differ in their potency, extent of hepatic metabolism, hypoglycaemic activity of their metabolites, renal excretion, peak and duration of action, side effects and costs. 

U-56324 (28), a nicotinic acid derivative, has hypoglycaemic activity in the 18-h fasted normal rat [173] and stimulates in vitro insulin secretion [174]. Study of the in vitro activity in membrane patches from cultured mouse pancreatic jff-cells revealed that it acts directly on ATP-sensitive potassium channels and probably has the same mechanism of action as sulphonylureas [174]. 

Linogliride and pirogliride are oral hypoglycaemic agents which differ in their mechanism of action from the biguanides and sulphonylureas. Both are potent enhancers of glucose-induced insulin secretion [375,376]. 

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