Effects of fully synthetic human insulin in comparison to porcine insulin in normal subjects.

Fully synthetic human insulin (CGP 12'831) was compared to porcine insulin in identical and non-identical formula by intravenous insulin tolerance tests in 12 volunteers. The half-lives of the three insulins tested did not differ (t 1/2: 5.5 +/- 0.2 minutes), though acid porcine insulin exhibited lower serum peak values. The hypoglycemic effects of the three insulins were identical. Human insulin produced a significantly smaller decrease in serum potassium (2p less than 0.01). The secretion of serum C-peptide was less inhibited by human insulin (2p less than 0.05). The counter-regulatory hormonal response of cortisol and growth hormone was lower after hypoglycemia induced by human insulin (2p less than 0.05). It is suggested that the hormonal effects of hypoglycemia are modified by insulin and depend in part on the molecular structure of insulin.