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Attempts to accelerate glucagon absorption: effects of adding a vasodilator and of injection using a ‘sprinkler’ needle
Author(s) -
SIMMONS K. L.,
WILLIAMS G.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2362.1992.tb01486.x
Subject(s) - glucagon , calcitonin gene related peptide , medicine , endocrinology , absorption (acoustics) , vasodilation , calcitonin , chemistry , insulin , neuropeptide , materials science , receptor , composite material
. Glucagon injected subcutaneously or intramuscularly may take up to 30 min to reverse hypogly‐caemia. We investigated whether glucagon absorption could be accelerated by two manoeuvres known to enhance insulin absorption: addition of a powerful local hyperaemic agent (10 nmole α‐calcitonin gene‐related peptide; CGRP), and injection using a multi‐hole ‘sprinkler’ needle. Glucagon (1 mg) given by conventional injection to six normal subjects produced peak plasma glucagon concentrations of 1–48 ± 0.23 (SEM) ng ml ‐1 after 20 min and a peak glycaemic response of 7.8 ± 0.8 mmol 1 ‐1 at 25 min. Glucagon injected with CGRP or using the sprinkler needle did not produce any significant differences in plasma glucagon or glycaemia profiles, compared with conventional injection. Further studies demonstrated that glucagon is itself a powerful vasodilator, causing a 300–500% increase in local blood flow, comparable to that induced by CGRP. Because of its intense local hyperaemic action, the absorption of subcutaneously‐injected glucagon may be optimal and seems unlikely to be accelerated by pharmacological or other means.