Metformin is a biguanide antihyperglycemic agent often used for the treatment of non-insulin dependent diabetics (NIDDM). In this study, the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics ofmetformin were investigated in Indianhealthy volunteers during a fasting state for over 10 h. In order to evaluate the amount of glucose-lowering effect of metformin, the plasma concentrations of glucose were measured for a period of 10 h followed by the administration of 500 mg test or reference metformin tablets with control group. In addition, the concentration of metformin in blood samples was determined by HPLC assay for the drug. All volunteers were consumed with 12 g of sugar after drug administration to maintain initial plasma glucose concentration while control group administered with 12 g sugar only. The time courses of the plasma concentration of metformin and the glucose-lowering effect were analyzed. It was found that no relation between effect-concentration of metformin was observed but it was found there was no increase in blood sugar after breakfast and meal which could be related to decreased absorption of glucose from gastrointestinal tract caused by metformin.
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