Pharmacology of insulin

Abstract

Insulin is anabolic and anti-catabolic hormone which has an important role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. In addition, insulin is the only agent used in all forms of diabetes mellitus for blood sugar control. Further, insulin is critical for the management of diabetic ketoacidosis, and it has an important role in the treatment of hyperglycemic, nonketotic coma and in the perioperative management of diabetic patients. Commercial insulin preparations, used today, represent result of recombinant DNA technology and have amino acid sequence identical to human insulin. Also, insulin analogs are produced by modifications in insulin molecule in order to improve pharmacokinetic properties. In this article, insulin preparations are described including their classification, characteristics and safety of use in a pregnancy.