Effect of octanoic acid on the insulin secretion in response to glucose in vitro

Abstract

The effect of octanoic acid (1.5 mM) on insulin secretion in 4.4 and 16.7 mM glucose stimulation has been studied in rat's isolated and perfused pancreas. The absence of octanoic acid does not produce any significant insulin secretion increase in response to 4.4 mM glucose infusion, whereas its presence produces a significant insulinic response of a monophasic nature. Both in the presence and absence of octanoic acid, the 16.7 mM glucose-stimulation produces a biphasic insulin secretion. The octanoic acid enhances both the first and the second phase of insulin secretion. The present results show that octanoic acid clearly potentiates the insulin secretion in response to 4.4 mM and 16.7 mM glucose.