Effect of tolbutamide, glyburide and glipizide administered supraspinally on CA3 hippocampal neuronal cell death and hyperglycemia induced by kainic acid in mice

•The KA-induced hippocampal CA3 neuronal death was attenuated by sulfonylureas.•Sulfonylureas attenuated the elevation of the blood glucose level induced by KA.•Sulfonylureas attenuated KA-induced up-regulation of plasma corticosterone level.•Down-regulation of insulin level induced by KA was reversed by glipizide.•KA-mediated reduction in insulin level was not reversed by tolbutamide or glyburide.

Sulfonylureas are widely used oral drugs for the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. In the present study, the effects of sulfonylureas administered supraspinally on kainic acid (KA)-induced hippocampal neuronal cell death and hyperglycemia were studied in ICR mice. Mice were pretreated intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) with 30 μg of tolbutamide, glyburide or glipizide for 10 min and then, mice were administered i.c.v. with KA (0.1 μg). The neuronal cell death in the CA3 region in the hippocampus was assessed 24 h after KA administration and the blood glucose level was measured 30, 60, and 120 min after KA administration. We found that i.c.v. pretreatment with tolbutamide, glyburide or glipizide attenuated the KA-induced neuronal cell death in CA3 region of the hippocampus and hyperglycemia. In addition, KA administered i.c.v. caused an elevation of plasma corticosterone level and a reduction of the plasma insulin level. The i.c.v. pretreatment with tolbutamide, glyburide or glipizide attenuated KA-induced increase of plasma corticosterone level. Furthermore, i.c.v. pretreatment with tolbutamide, glyburide or glipizide causes an elevation of plasma insulin level. Glipizide, but not tolbutamide or glyburide, pretreated i.c.v. caused a reversal of KA-induced hypoinsulinemic effect. Our results suggest that supraspinally administered tolbutamide, glyburide and glipizide exert a protective effect against KA-induced neuronal cells death in CA3 region of the hippocampus. The neuroprotective effect of tolbutamide, glyburide and glipizide appears to be mediated by lowering the blood glucose level induced by KA.