Glipizide stimulates sympathetic outflow in diabetes-prone mice.

The purpose of the present study was to determine if the oral hypoglycemic agent glipizide influenced sympathetic outflow in diabetes-prone mice. C57BL/6 (diabetes-prone) and diabetes-resistant (A/J) were treated with saline or glipizide, and sympathetic outflow determined by the fall in organ norepinephrine content after synthesis inhibition with alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine. Sympathetic outflow to the liver and pancreas were slower in Bl/6 mice than in control A/J. Glipizide increased sympathetic outflow to the pancreas in both strains of mice, but did not influence outflow to other organs significantly. The results of this study suggest that glipizide can influence central glucoregulatory mechanisms after peripheral administration.