This is the author's final version of the contribution published as: Gramaglia E;Ramella Gigliardi V;Olivetti I;Tomelini M;Belcastro S;Calvi E;Dotta A;Ghigo E;Benso A;Broglio F. Impact of short-term treatment with benzodiazepines and imidazopyridines on glucose metabolism in healthy subjects.. JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION. 37 Conclusions: This study suggests that BZ and imidazopyridines have a rapid glucometabolic effect that is detectable as early as after 15 days treatment.3

Besides its growth hormone-releasing effect, ghrelin has been demonstrated to influence other hormonal systems, such as the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, prolactin secretion, the thyroid axis as well as the gonadal axis. Ghrelin and its analogues stimulate the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis independent of the pituitary, via the hypothalamus, involving both corticotrophin-releasing hormone, arginine-vasopressin and neuropeptide Y stimulation. In adrenocortocotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting tumors, the ghrelin receptor is pathologically expressed, thus accounting for especially high ACTH and cortisol responses to ghrelin and GH secretagogues in patients with Cushing's disease. Ghrelin stimulates prolactin release most probably from the somatomammotroph cells of the pituitary gland. The effect of ghrelin on the pituitary regulation of the thyroid axis is controversial and its role in the physiological control of thyroid function is still matter of investigation. On the other hand, ghrelin has been reported to exert an inhibitory effect on follicle-stimulating hormone and, in particular, on luteinizing hormone, probably via an inhibitory effect exerted at the hypothalamic level on gonadotropin-releasing hormone secretion.

This study shows that normal and diabetic subjects display similar levels of circulating obestatin in fasting condition. However patients with T2D look refractory to the inhibitory effect of meal on obestatin secretion.

Beta-adrenergic receptors and AG are likely to interact at the metabolic level. In humans, the lypolitic response to a beta2-adrenergic agonist such as SALB is amplified by AG. Meanwhile, during the co-treatment, the marginal insulinotropic effect was not associated with an increase in glycemia.