The clinical pharmacology of human insulin (Novo) in normal subjects.

Neutral regular human insulin (Novo) (derived from porcine insulin) and porcine insulin were administered by subcutaneous (s.c.) injection into the anterior abdominal wall in two different groups of six normal male subjects. The insulin dosage was 0.075 IU/kg body wt; diluting medium was used to obtain control values. In one group, somatostatin was administered by continuous intravenous infusion (100 micrograms/h) to inhibit pancreatic beta-cell secretion. The plasma glucose, C-peptide, and insulin (immunoreactive) responses to human insulin and porcine insulin were identical in the studies with and without somatostatin. Although the incremental plasma insulin values achieved with the two insulins were similar in the two studies, the hypoglycemic effect was accentuated in the presence of somatostatin, with a delayed recovery toward normoglycemia. The human insulin and porcine insulin were well tolerated in all subjects and there were no unwanted side effects.