Oral Contraceptives,Norethynodrel and Mestranol: Effects on Glucose Tolerance,Tissue Uptake of Glucose-U- 14 C and Insulin Sensitivity 1

Abstract

Summary

Mestranol and norethynodrel were fed singly or in combination to 11-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats to determine their effects on glucose tolerance, in vivo tissue uptake and utilization of glucose-U-¹⁴C and in vitro insulin sensitivity. The results indicate that norethynodrel impaired oral glucose tolerance, and reduced the levels of radioactivity in adipose tissues at various time intervals after an oral glucose-U-¹⁴C load. Mestranol slightly depressed gastric emptying and intestinal absorption of the radioactive glucose load. In vitro incubation of diaphragm muscle and adipose tissue revealed that the impairment of glucose tolerance may have resulted from reduced insulin sensitivity in these tissues.