Research Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics

The present study was aimed to find out the effect of single and multiple dose (9 days) treatment of imipramine, an antidepressant drug on the hypoglycaemic activity of glibenclamide in normal rabbits. The study was intended to determine the pharmacodynamic parameters of drug interaction between glibenclamide and imipramine in normal rabbits. The single dose studies were conducted using a group of five normal rabbits of either sex. The dose calculations were based on body surface area as described by Laurence and Bacharach. The experiment was conducted in four stages. Five normal rabbits were selected for each stage of experiment. These studies were conducted in the same group of rabbits after the washout period of the administered drug (Glibenclamide 0.7 mg/1.5 Kg body weight and Imipramine 14 mg/1.5 Kg body weight) i.e. after the complete elimination of the drug. The drugs were administered orally. The blood samples were collected by marginal ear vein at predetermined time intervals and glucose levels were estimated using GOD/POD method. Multiple dose study was also conducted by using another group of five normal rabbits as described above. The results indicated that single and multiple dose treatment of imipramine an antidepressant drug altered the hypoglycaemic activity of glibenclamide when administered alone and along with glibenclamide in normal rabbits. This may be due to the synergistic effect of imipramine with glibenclamide. The preliminary studies indicate the combination may be unsafe in diabetes associated with depression.