EDTA and insulin. A study of the effect of salts of EDTA upon insulin action in vivo and in vitro.

Abstract

Insulin induced hypoglycaemia was enhanced in rats, by the simultaneous administration of disodium EDTA or calcium disodium EDTA but not bmagnesium disodium EDTA. None of these EDTA complexes affected the blood sugar in the absence of insulin.In vitro, both Na and Ca EDTA inhibited the insulin stimulation of glucose uptake by the isolated rat hemidiaphragm, but had no effect upon basal glucose uptake. In contrast, Mg EDTA increased basal glucose uptake with little or no effect upon insulin stimulation. On the isolated epididymal fat pad, both Na and Ca EDTA either did not affect, or slightly reduced, the insulin stimulation of glucose uptake. They sometimes increased the basal glucose uptake. Mg EDTA consistently increased the basal glucose uptake. -It is suggested that thein vivo effect of Ca and Na EDTA is upon the homoeostatic response to hypoglycaemia rather than upon the action of insulin.