Influence of metronidazole on the hypoglycaemic effect of tolbutamide in healthy albino rabbits

The influence of metronidazole pretreatment for 7 days, on the hypoglycaemic effect of tolbutamide (40mg/kg,p.o.) was studied. The study was conducted in healthy albino rabbits of either sex, randomly distributed into three groups (n=6). All the animals were fasted for 18 hours prior to experiment, during this period water ad libitum. All the drugs used in this study were administered by suspending separately in 5%w/v gum acacia suspension in distilled water. In the I phase, the hypoglycaemic effect of tolbutamide single dose (40mg/kg,p.o) was studied in group 1 animals. In the II phase, the effect of metronidazole on the blood glucose levels was studied in group 2 animals. In the III phase, the animals of group 3 were administered with metronidazole (100mg/kg, p.o) for 7 days. On the 8 t h day, one hour after the metronidazole administration, tolbutamide (40mg/kg, p.o) was administered. In all the three groups the blood samples were collected from the marginal ear vein at time intervals of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, 18 and 24 hours and blood glucose levels were estimated by using GOD/POD method. The study indicated that, metronidazole pretreatment, significantly enhanced the hypoglycaemic effect of tolbutamide, by inhibiting its metabolism by microsomal enzyme system. The study also suggests, the necessity to readjust the dose and / frequency of tolbutamide administration, when used concomitantly with metronidazole.