Study of porcine and human isophane (NPH) insulins in normal subjects

The plasma glucose, C-peptide and insulin responses to subcutaneously administered highly purified porcine, 'semi-synthetic' and 'biosynthetic' human isophane (NPH) insulin and diluting medium as control in normal male subjects were evaluated. Porcine and semi-synthetic human NPH insulins were administered at two dose levels of 0.15 and 0.30 U/kg body weight and biosynthetic human NPH at 0.15 U/kg body weight only. At the low dose level the three insulin preparations resulted in a similar maximal hypoglycaemic effect within 3-5 h after administration. However, over the remainder of the 11 h post-injection period, the plasma glucose level was lower after semi-synthetic human insulin. In contrast, at the 0.30 U/kg dose level, there was no difference in the early or late hypoglycaemic response between porcine and semi-synthetic human NPH insulins of equivalent pharmaceutical formulation. The clinical relevance of these findings needs further evaluation. The data suggest that for the 'intermediate-acting' NPH insulin preparations, both the species of insulin, nature and quantity of the retarding protein and their subsequent interaction may determine their time-action characteristics.