Caffeine and contraction synergistically stimulate 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase and insulin-independent glucose transport in rat skeletal muscle.

5'-Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been identified as a key mediator of contraction-stimulated insulin-independent glucose transport in skeletal muscle. Caffeine acutely stimulates AMPK in resting skeletal muscle, but it is unknown whether caffeine affects AMPK in contracting muscle. Isolated rat epitrochlearis muscle was preincubated and then incubated in the absence or presence of 3 mmol/L caffeine for 30 or 120 min.

Salicylate acutely stimulates 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase and insulin-independent glucose transport in rat skeletal muscles.

Salicylate (SAL) has been recently implicated in the antidiabetic effect in humans. We assessed whether 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in skeletal muscle is involved in the effect of SAL on glucose homeostasis. Rat fast-twitch epitrochlearis and slow-twitch soleus muscles were incubated in buffer containing SAL.