Glucophage

Pharmacological action

Glucophage – an oral hypoglycemic agent of biguanide group. Mechanism of metformin’s action is connected with its ability to suppress gluconeogenesis. It increases sensitivity of peripheral receptors to insulin and stimulates glucose uptake by myocytes. Glucophage stops down the carbohydrate absorption in the intestine. It has a favorable effect on lipidic metabolism: reduces the total cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density lipoproteins levels. Glucophage does not stimulate insulin secretion and does not provide hypoglycemic action in healthy people.

Pharmacokinetics
Absorption and distribution
After taken this medicine metformin is absorbed from a gastrointestinal tract. Bioavailability is 50-60%. Metformin is rapidly allocated in organism tissues and practically does not contact with plasma proteins.

Proposed clinical use:
- non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (type II) in adults under the inefficiency of diet (especially when there is a concomitant obesity);
- insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (type I) in combination with insulin-therapy (especially the marked obesity with the secondary insulin-resistance).