Increase of blood glucose concentrations in diabetic patients with glucagon eyedrops.

Hypoglycemic crisis is a common occurrence in diabetic patients. In order to reverse the hypoglycemia, glucagon eyedrops at concentrations of 2.5%, 5.0%, and 7.5% were instilled to the eyes of diabetic patients who were fasted overnight. The glucagon eyedrops raised the blood glucose efficiently in a dose-dependent manner and peaked at 30 min after drug instillation. At 2.5%, glucagon raised the blood glucose 0.83 mmol.L-1 which exceeded the minimal requirement of 0.56 mmol.L-1 increase in blood glucose level at hypoglycemic crisis. At 5.0% and 7.5%, glucagon eyedrops increased the blood glucose level further to 1.76 and 1.91 mmol.L-1, respectively. These results indicate that glucagon can be delivered effectively through ocular route to raise the systemic blood glucose for the treatment of hypoglycemic crisis.