Lack of effect of intravenous metformin on plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, C-peptide, glucagon and growth hormone in non-diabetic subjects

Summary

A study was carried out to evaluate the acute effect of an intravenous injection of metformin on the fasting plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, C-peptide, glucagon and growth hormone in 15 non-diabetic subjects. Metformin (1 g) was administered as a bolus in a peripheral vein and blood was sampled 2, 5, 10, 15 and 30 minutes after the drug injection. No significant change in fasting concentration of glucose nor in C-peptide, insulin, glucagon and growth hormone fasting levels was noticed. It is concluded that metformin does not possess an acute direct hypo-glycaemic effect in non-diabetic subjects and does not acutely affect the basal activity of endocrine pancreas and pituitary gland in releasing insulin, glucagon and growth hormone.

Key Words::

• Metformin
• hypoglycaemic agents
• oral
• glucose
• insulin
• C-peptide
• glucagon
• growth hormone