In vitro activity: Gliclazide is a potent and orally available anti-hyperglycemic agent used for the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. It belongs to the sulfonylurea class of insulin secretagogues, which act by stimulating β cells of the pancreas to release insulin. Gliclazide is a whole-cell beta-cell ATP-sensitive potassium currents blocker with an IC50 of 184 NM. Gliclazide has been shown to decrease fasting plasma glucose, postprandial blood glucose and glycosolated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels.

Cell Assay: Gliclazide blocked whole-cell beta-cell KATP currents with an IC50 of 184 +/- 30 nmol/l (n = 6-10) but was much less effective in cardiac and smooth muscle (IC50s of 19.5 +/- 5.4 micromol/l (n = 6-12) and 37.9 +/- 1.0 micromol/l (n = 5-10), respectively). In all three tissues, the action of the drug on whole-cell KATP currents was rapidly reversible. In inside-out patches on beta-cells, gliclazide (1 micromol/l) produced a maximum of 66 +/- 13 % inhibition (n = 5), compared with more than 98 % block in the whole-cell configuration. Gliclazide is a high-potency sulphonylurea which shows specificity for the pancreatic beta-cell KATP channel over heart and smooth muscle. In this respect, it differs from glibenclamide

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[2]. Lawrence, C.L., et al., Gliclazide produces high-affinity block of KATP channels in mouse isolated pancreatic beta cells but not rat heart or arterial smooth muscle cells. Diabetologia, 2001. 44(8): p. 1019-25.