After intravenous and oral administration of clarithromycin at a dose of 20 mg/kg of body weight to rats with diabetes mellitus induced by alloxan (DMIA) and diabetes mellitus induced by streptozotocin (DMIS), the area under the curve values were significantly smaller than those of respective control rats. The in vitro intrinsic clearance values for the disappearance of clarithromycin were significantly faster in both rats with DMIA and rats with DMIS than in control rats. The above data suggested that metabolism of clarithromycin increased in both types of diabetic rat due to an increase in the expression and mRNA level of CYP3A1(23) in the rats.