Abstract
Summary
1. Blood glucose and reduced glutathïone determinations were performed at intervals on 9 non-diabetic patients and on 15 patients with moderately uncontrolled diabetes following oral administration of 3 g of tolbutamide or carbutamide. 2. Mean maximal decrease from fasting blood glucose value was 14% in patients with normal carbohydrate metabolism, and 43% in the diabetic group. 3. In control patients there was no change in glutathione levels during the test period. In diabetic patients a minimal, insignificant rise had occurred 5 hours after ingestion of the hypoglycemic agent. 4. The mean blood reduced glutathione concentration was strikingly lower in patients with diabetes than in those whose carbohydrate metabolism was intact. In 4 patients subnormal values persisted despite restoration of normal fasting blood glucose levels by daily therapeutic doses of tolbutamide.
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