Dual A and A adenosine receptor antagonists, methoxy substituted 2-benzylidene-1-indanone, suppresses intestinal postprandial glucose and attenuates hyperglycaemia in fructose-streptozotocin diabetic rats.

Background/aim: Recent research suggests that adenosine receptors (ARs) influence many of the metabolic abnormalities associated with diabetes. A non-xanthine benzylidene indanone derivative 2-(3,4-dihydroxybenzylidene)-4-methoxy-2,3-dihydro-1 H-inden-1-one (2-BI), has shown to exhibit higher affinity at A/A ARs compared to caffeine. Due to its structural similarity to caffeine, and the established antidiabetic effects of caffeine, the current study was initiated to explore the possible antidiabetic effect of 2-BI.

Methods: The study was designed to assess the antidiabetic effects of several A and/or A AR antagonists, via intestinal glucose absorption and glucose-lowering effects in fructose-streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were induced with diabetes via fructose and streptozotocin. Rats were treated for 4 weeks with AR antagonists, metformin and pioglitazone, respectively. Non-fasting blood glucose (NFBG) was determined weekly and the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was conducted at the end of the intervention period.

Results: Dual A/A AR antagonists (caffeine and 2-BI) decreased glucose absorption in the intestinal membrane significantly (p < 0.01), while the selective A AR antagonist (Istradefylline), showed the highest significant (p < 0.001) reduction in intestinal glucose absorption. The selective A antagonist (DPCPX) had the least significant (p < 0.05) reduction in glucose absorption. Similarly, dual A/A AR antagonists and selective A AR antagonists significantly reduced non-fast blood glucose and improved glucose tolerance in diabetic rats from the first week of the treatment. Conversely, the selective A AR antagonist did not reduce non-fast blood glucose significantly until the 4th week of treatment. 2-BI, caffeine and istradefylline compared well with standard antidiabetic treatments, metformin and pioglitazone, and in some cases performed even better.

Conclusion: 2-BI exhibited good antidiabetic activity by reducing intestinal postprandial glucose absorption and improving glucose tolerance in a diabetic animal model. The dual antagonism of A/A ARs presents a positive synergism that could provide a new possibility for the treatment of diabetes.