Summary. In 14 normal subjects, treatment with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, 3.2 g daily for 3 days) a well known inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis, caused a slight but significant decrease (p < 0.05) in basal plasma glucose levels; by contrast, basal insulin rose from 5 _+1 to 8 +1 ~tU/ml (p < 0.01) after ASA. Pretreatment with ASA augmented the early insulin response to a standard IV glucose tolerance test (25 g) in 7 normal subjects (p<0.05 at 2 min; p < 0.02 at 5 min; p < 0.01 at 10 min). No significant changes were detected in the rate of glucose utilization. 7 additional subjects received a standard arginine test without and with ASA pretreatment. Arginine stimulated insulin levels were increased after ASA (p<0.01 at 15 min; p<0.05 at 30 min; p < 0.05 at 45 rain), whereas glucose values were lower than under basal conditions at all times, with significant differences at 105 (p<0.02) and 120 (p <0.05) min. A possible role of prostaglandins upon the insulin responses to glucose and arginine is discussed.

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