Effect of Candesartan Cilexetil on the Blood Glucose Levels of Glimepiride in Normal and Diabetic Albino Rats

Background: Co administration of two or more medications to a patient is called polypharmacy. Hence, much attention is required to study the possible drug interaction in the prescription, to reduce the influence of one drug action on the another. Accordingly, the effect of candesartan cilexetil was studied on the blood glucose levels of glimepiride treated normal and diabetic rats. Method: Effect of blood glucose levels were studied by using Candesartan cilexetil and Glimepiride in normal and diabetic albino male rats at a dose of 1.44 mg/kg and 0.09 mg/kg, respectively. The blood samples were collected during the study at the time intervals of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 24 hours. The samples were subjected to estimation of blood glucose levels using glucometer. Results: The present study was conducted in both normal and diabetic rats. Glimepiride showed its hypoglycemic effect at the 4^th hour, whereas candesartan cilexetil doesn’t show any changes in blood glucose levels in both normal and diabetic rats. In normal rats, candesartan cilexetil doesn’t affect on the blood glucose levels of glimepiride in both single and multiple dose studies. In diabetic rats, the candesartan cilexetil showed significant action on blood glucose levels of glimepiride in multiple dose interaction study but the insignificant effect of candesartan cilexetil in single dose interaction on glimepiride. Hence, the interaction was carefully monitored in type-2 diabetes mellitus patients. Conclusion: The study suggested that candesartan cilexetil has a profound effect on blood glucose levels of glimepiride on long term use; the possible mechanism for the cause is either angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors improve insulin sensitivity or inhibition of CYP2C9. The study also recommended that caution must be taken while prescribing with the combination of candesartan cilexetil and glimepiride or its analogs.