Effect of alloxan diabetes and phenformin on insulin binding with liver plasma membrane receptors.

Effect of phenformin on [125I]insulin binding with the liver plasma membrane of normal and alloxan diabetic rats was studied in vitro. Diabetic rats showed a decreased binding of [125I]insulin with liver plasma membrane indicating thereby a decreased binding affinity of insulin with its receptors. Phenformin caused an increased binding of [125I]insulin with liver plasma membrane in normal as well as in diabetic rats. Results of this study indicate that the control of diabetes by phenformin is possibly affected by increasing the binding of insulin with plasma membrane receptors which in turn promotes insulin dependent metabolic reactions at the cellular level.