Inhibitory Effect of Diphenylhydantoin on the Diabetogenic Action of Alloxan in the Mouse

The effect of the pretreatment of mice with diphenylhydantoin (DPH) on the development of alloxan diabetes was studied. DPH, in intraperitoneal doses of 20 to 45 mg./kg., administered one hour prior to alloxan, was found to prevent the development of alloxan (75 mg./kg., intravenously) diabetes. Administration of DPH after alloxan had no effect. The initial hyperglycemie response to alloxan (measured forty-five minutes post-alloxan) was potentiated by DPH pretreatment. Intravenous glutathione, administered one minute prior to alloxan, inhibited both the initial and chronic hyperglycemia produced by alloxan. A structural similarity between DPH and alloxan suggests that DPH may be protecting pancreatic beta cell binding sites from alloxan.