The Insulin Releasing Potency of Tolbutamide and Glibenclamide: A Comparative Study on the Perfused Rat Pancreas

Glibenclamide, the “second generation” sulfonylurea, stimulates insulin release at much smaller concentrations than tolbutamide. Moreover, differences of the kinetic pattern and the dynamics of insulin release have been assumed. The experimental observations that suggested qualitative differences, however, seemed not completely convincing. Thus the effects of the sulfonylurea derivatives on the isolated perfused rat pancreas were compared, an in vitro system well suited to study both kinetics and dynamics of insulin release.