Journal of anesthesia
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Journal of anesthesia · Jun 2015
Effects of dexmedetomidine on insulin secretion from rat pancreatic β cells.
Dexmedetomidine acts as a selective α2-adrenergic receptor agonist and an imidazoline receptor agonist, both of which are known to affect insulin secretion. Here, we investigated the effects of clinically relevant concentrations of dexmedetomidine on insulin secretion under in vivo conditions. Furthermore, its underlying mechanisms were examined using isolated islets in vitro. ⋯ Dexmedetomidine had no effect on insulin secretion at sedative dose, whereas it significantly inhibited insulin secretion at supraclinical high concentrations mainly via the α2-adrenoceptor.