The mechanism by which the novel, pure glucose-dependent insulinotropic, imidazoline derivative BL11282 promotes insulin secretion in pancreatic islets has been investigated. The roles of K_ATP channels, α₂-adrenoreceptors, the I₁-receptor- phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase (PC-PLC) pathway and arachidonic acid signaling in BL11282 potentiation of insulin secretion in pancreatic islets were studied. Using SUR1^(-/-) deficient mice, the previous notion that the insulinotropic activity of BL11282 is not related to its interaction with K_ATP channels was confirmed. Insulinotropic activity of BL11282 was not related to its effect on α₂-adrenoreceptors, I ₁-imidazoline receptors or PC-PLC. BL11282 significantly increased [³H]arachidonic acid production. This effect was abolished in the presence of the iPLA₂ inhibitor, bromoenol lactone. The data suggest that potentiation of glucose-induced insulin release by BL11282, which is independent of concomitant changes in cytoplasmic free Ca²⁺ concentration, involves release of arachidonic acid by iPLA₂ and its metabolism to epoxyeicosatrienoic acids through the cytochrome P-450 pathway.