Human insulin preparations are prepared by methods. Diabetes mellitus: who is entitled to free insulin and how to get it

Everyone is widely and notorious for such a disease as diabetes mellitus, when the human body loses the ability to produce the physiologically important hormone insulin. As a result, sugar accumulates in the blood and the patient may die. Insulin is produced by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Attempts to extract it from the pancreas remained futile for a long time, since this hormone is a polypeptide and is destroyed by trypsin contained in the tissue of the pancreas excised from the body.

Previously, insulin was obtained from animal pancreatic cells, so the cost was very high. In 1922, insulin isolated from the pancreas of an animal was first administered to a ten-year-old boy with diabetes. The result exceeded all expectations, and a year later the American company Eli Lilly released the first preparation of animal insulin.

To obtain 100 g of crystalline insulin, 800-1000 kg of pancreas are required, and one gland of a cow weighs 200-250 grams. This made insulin expensive and difficult to access for a wide range of diabetics. So, in 1979, out of 6 million patients worldwide, only 4 million received insulin. Without insulin treatment, patients died. And given that there are many children among diabetic patients, it becomes clear that for many countries this disease is turning into a national tragedy. Moreover, long-term use of animal insulin led to irreversible damage to many organs of the patient due to immunological reactions caused by injection of animal insulin foreign to the human body.

In 1978, researchers at Genentech made the first insulin in a specially engineered strain of Escherichia coli (E. coli).

Genetic engineers decided to clone the insulin gene as their first practical task. Cloned human insulin genes were introduced with a plasmid into a bacterial cell, as a result, E. coli acquires the ability to synthesize a protein chain consisting of galactosidase and insulin. Synthesized polypeptides are chemically cleaved from the enzyme, then purification is carried out, which natural microbial strains have never synthesized. Since 1982, firms in the US, Japan, Great Britain and other countries have been producing genetically engineered insulin. It has been shown that it does not contain E. coli proteins, endotoxins and other impurities, does not have side effects like animal insulin, and does not differ from it in biological activity.

Insulin consists of two polypeptide chains A and B, 20 and 30 amino acids long. When they are connected by disulfide bonds, native (natural) double-chain insulin is formed. One of the methods for obtaining genetically engineered insulin is the separate (different producing strains) production of both chains, followed by folding of the molecule (formation of disulfide bridges) and separation of isoforms.

Another method for producing insulin is the synthesis of proinsulin in E. Coli cells, for which a DNA copy was synthesized on an RNA template using reverse transcriptase. After purification of the resulting proinsulin, it was cleaved with trypsin and carboxypeptidase and native insulin was obtained, while the stages of extraction and isolation of the hormone were minimized. From 1000 liters of culture fluid, up to 200 grams of the hormone can be obtained, which is equivalent to the amount of insulin secreted from 1600 kg of the pancreas of a pig or cow.

In the UK, with the help of E. coli, both chains of human insulin were synthesized, which were then connected into a molecule of a biologically active hormone. In order for a unicellular organism to synthesize insulin molecules on its ribosomes, it is necessary to provide it with the necessary program, that is, to introduce the hormone gene into it.

Recombinant (genetically engineered) insulin was obtained at the Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences using genetically engineered E. coli strains. From the grown biomass, a precursor is isolated, a hybrid protein expressed in an amount of 40% of the total cellular protein, containing preproinsulin. Its conversion into insulin in vitro is carried out in the same sequence as in vivo - the leading polypeptide is cleaved off, preproinsulin is converted into insulin through the stages of oxidative sulfitolysis, followed by the reductive closure of three disulfide bonds and enzymatic isolation of the binding C-peptide. After a series of chromatographic purifications, including ion exchange, gel and HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography), human insulin of high purity and natural activity is obtained.

It is possible to use a strain with a nucleotide sequence inserted into a plasmid (small DNA molecule) expressing a fusion protein that consists of linear proinsulin and a Staphylococcus aureus protein A fragment attached to its N-terminus via a methionine residue.

Cultivation of saturated cell biomass of the recombinant strain provides the beginning of the production of a hybrid protein, the isolation and subsequent transformation of which in tube leads to insulin.

Recently, close attention has been paid to simplifying the procedure for obtaining recombinant insulin by genetic engineering. So, for example, you can get a fusion protein consisting of the leader peptide of interleukin 2 attached to the N-terminus of proinsulin through a lysine residue. The protein is efficiently expressed and localized in inclusion bodies. After isolation, the protein is cleaved with trypsin to produce insulin and C-peptide.

The resulting insulin and C-peptide were purified by RP HPLC. When creating fused structures, the ratio of the masses of the carrier protein and the target polypeptide is very important. C-peptides are connected according to the head-tail principle using amino acid spacers carrying the Sfi I restriction site and two arginine residues at the beginning and end of the spacer for subsequent protein cleavage by trypsin. HPLC of the cleavage products shows that C-peptide cleavage is quantitative, and this makes it possible to use the method of multimeric synthetic genes to obtain target polypeptides on an industrial scale.

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Insulin is a life-saving drug that has revolutionized the lives of many people with diabetes.

In the entire history of medicine and pharmacy of the 20th century, perhaps only one group of medicines of the same importance can be distinguished - these are antibiotics. They, like insulin, very quickly entered medicine and helped save many lives.

The Day of the fight against diabetes is celebrated at the initiative of the World Health Organization every year since 1991 on the birthday of the Canadian physiologist F. Banting, who discovered the hormone insulin together with J. J. Macleod. Let's take a look at how this hormone is made.

How do insulin preparations differ from each other?

1. The degree of purification.
2. The source of receipt is porcine, bovine, human insulin.
3. Additional components included in the solution of the drug - preservatives, prolongers of action and others.
4. Concentration.
5. solution pH.
6. Possibility of mixing short and long-acting preparations.

Insulin is a hormone produced by special cells in the pancreas. It is a double-stranded protein with 51 amino acids.

About 6 billion units of insulin are used annually in the world (1 unit is 42 micrograms of a substance). The production of insulin is high-tech and is carried out only by industrial methods.

Sources of insulin

Currently, depending on the source of production, porcine insulin and human insulin preparations are isolated.

Pork insulin now has a very a high degree cleaning, has a good hypoglycemic effect, there are practically no allergic reactions to it.

Human insulin preparations fully correspond in chemical structure to the human hormone. They are usually produced by biosynthesis using genetic engineering technologies.

Large manufacturing firms use such production methods that guarantee that their products meet all quality standards. Large differences in the action of human and porcine monocomponent insulin (that is, highly purified) have not been identified; in relation to the immune system, according to many studies, the difference is minimal.

Auxiliary components used in the production of insulin

The drug vial contains a solution containing not only the hormone insulin itself, but also other compounds. Each of them plays a specific role:

• prolongation of the action of the drug;
• solution disinfection;
• the presence of buffer properties of the solution and maintaining a neutral pH (acid-base balance).

Extending the action of insulin

To create long-acting insulin, one of two compounds, zinc or protamine, is added to a solution of regular insulin. Depending on this, all insulins can be divided into two groups:

• protamine-insulins - protafan, insuman basal, NPH, humulin N;
• zinc-insulins - insulin-zinc-suspensions mono-tard, tape, humulin-zinc.

Protamine is a protein, but allergic reactions to it are very rare.

To create a neutral environment for the solution, a phosphate buffer is added to it. It must be remembered that insulin containing phosphates is strictly forbidden to combine with insulin-zinc suspension (ICS), since zinc phosphate precipitates, and the effect of zinc-insulin is shortened in the most unpredictable way.

Disinfectants

Some of the compounds that, according to pharmaco-technological criteria, should already be introduced into the preparation have a disinfecting effect. These include cresol and phenol (both of which have a specific odor), as well as methyl parabenzoate (methylparaben), which has no odor.

The introduction of any of these preservatives causes the specific smell of some insulin preparations. All preservatives in the amount in which they are in insulin preparations do not have any negative effect.

Protamine insulins usually include cresol or phenol. Phenol cannot be added to ICS solutions, because it changes the physical properties of the hormone particles. These drugs include methylparaben. Zinc ions in solution also have an antimicrobial effect.

Thanks to this multi-stage antibacterial protection with the help of preservatives, the development of possible complications, the cause of which could be bacterial contamination with repeated insertion of the needle into the vial with the solution.

Due to the presence of such a protection mechanism, the patient can use the same syringe for subcutaneous injections of the drug for 5 to 7 days (provided that only he uses the syringe). Moreover, preservatives make it possible not to use alcohol to treat the skin before injection, but again only if the patient injects himself with a syringe with a thin needle (insulin).

Calibration of insulin syringes

In the first preparations of insulin, one ml of the solution contained only one unit of the hormone. Later the concentration was increased. Most of the insulin preparations in vials used in Russia contain 40 units in 1 ml of solution. The vials are usually marked with the symbol U-40 or 40 units / ml.

For widespread use, they are intended just for such insulin and their calibration is carried out according to the following principle: when a person draws 0.5 ml of a solution with a syringe, a person gains 20 units, 0.35 ml corresponds to 10 units, and so on.

Each mark on the syringe is equal to a certain volume, and the patient already knows how many units this volume contains. Thus, the calibration of syringes is a graduation in terms of the volume of the drug, calculated on the use of U-40 insulin. 4 units of insulin are contained in 0.1 ml, 6 units in 0.15 ml of the drug, and so on up to 40 units, which correspond to 1 ml of solution.

In some countries, insulin is used, 1 ml of which contains 100 units (U-100). For such drugs, special insulin syringes are produced that are similar to those discussed above, but they have a different calibration.

It takes into account exactly this concentration (it is 2.5 times higher than the standard one). In this case, the dose of insulin for the patient, of course, remains the same, since it satisfies the body's need for a specific amount of insulin.

That is, if the patient previously used the U-40 preparation and injected 40 units of the hormone per day, then he should receive the same 40 units with injections of U-100 insulin, but inject it in an amount 2.5 times less. That is, the same 40 units will be contained in 0.4 ml of the solution.

Unfortunately, not all doctors, let alone diabetic patients, know about this. The first difficulties began when some of the patients switched to the use of insulin injectors (pen-syringes), which use penfills (special cartridges) containing U-40 insulin.

If you draw a solution labeled U-100 into such a syringe, for example, up to the mark of 20 units (that is, 0.5 ml), then this volume will contain as many as 50 units of the drug.

Each time, filling regular syringes with U-100 insulin and looking at the cut-off units, a person will gain a dose 2.5 times greater than that shown at this mark. If neither the doctor nor the patient notices this error in a timely manner, then there is a high probability of developing severe hypoglycemia due to a constant overdose of the drug, which often happens in practice.

On the other hand, sometimes there are insulin syringes calibrated specifically for the U-100 preparation. If such a syringe is mistakenly filled with the usual U-40 solution, then the dose of insulin in the syringe will be 2.5 times less than that written near the corresponding mark on the syringe.

As a result of this, a seemingly inexplicable increase in blood glucose is possible. In fact, of course, everything is quite logical - for each concentration of the drug, you must use a suitable syringe.

In some countries, such as Switzerland, there has been an elaborate plan to make a smart transition to U-100-labeled insulin preparations. But this requires close contact of all stakeholders: doctors of many specialties, patients, nurses from any department, pharmacists, manufacturers, authorities.

In our country, it is very difficult to implement the transition of all patients to only the use of U-100 insulin, because, most likely, this will lead to an increase in the number of errors in dose determination.

Combined use of short-acting and extended-acting insulins

In modern medicine, the treatment of diabetes mellitus, especially type 1, usually occurs using a combination of two types of insulin - short-acting and long-acting.

It would be much more convenient for patients if drugs with different durations of action could be combined in the same syringe and administered simultaneously to avoid double skin puncture.

Many doctors do not know what determines the possibility of mixing different insulins. This is based on the chemical and galenic (compositionally determined) compatibility of long-acting and short-acting insulins.

It is very important that when the two types of preparations are mixed, the rapid onset of action of short-acting insulin does not stretch or disappear.

It has been proven that a short-acting preparation can be combined in one injection with protamine-insulin, while the onset of short-acting insulin is not delayed, because soluble insulin does not bind to protamine.

In this case, the manufacturer of the drug does not matter. For example, it can be combined with humulin H or protafan. Moreover, mixtures of these preparations can be stored.

With regard to zinc-insulin preparations, it has long been established that insulin-zinc suspension (crystalline) cannot be combined with short insulin, as it binds to an excess of zinc ions and transforms into extended insulin, sometimes partially.

Some patients first inject a short-acting drug, then, without removing the needle from under the skin, slightly change its direction, and inject zinc-insulin through it.

Very little scientific research has been carried out on this route of administration, so it cannot be ruled out that in some cases, with this method of injection, a complex of zinc-insulin and a short-acting preparation can form under the skin, which leads to a violation of the absorption of the latter.

Therefore, it is better to administer short insulin completely separately from zinc insulin, to make two separate injections into skin areas that are at least 1 cm apart from each other. This is not convenient, which cannot be said about the standard intake.

Combined insulins

Now the pharmaceutical industry produces combined preparations containing short-acting insulin together with protamine-insulin in a strictly defined percentage. These drugs include:

• mixtard,
• actrafan,
• insuman comb.

The most effective are combinations in which the ratio of short and extended insulin is 30:70 or 25:75. This ratio is always indicated in the instructions for use of each specific drug.

Such drugs are best suited for people who follow a constant diet and have regular physical activity. For example, they are often used by elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.

Combination insulins are not suitable for so-called "flexible" insulin therapy, when it becomes necessary to constantly change the dosage of short-acting insulin.

For example, this should be done when changing the amount of carbohydrates in food, reducing or increasing physical activity, etc. At the same time, the dose of basal insulin (prolonged) remains practically unchanged.

Insulin is the main drug for the treatment of people with type 1 diabetes. Sometimes it is also used to stabilize the patient's condition and improve his well-being in the second type of disease. This substance, by its nature, is a hormone that is capable of influencing the metabolism of carbohydrates in small doses.

Normally, the pancreas produces enough insulin to help maintain normal blood sugar levels. But with serious endocrine disorders, insulin injections often become the only chance to help the patient. Unfortunately, it is impossible to take it orally (in the form of tablets), since it is completely destroyed in the digestive tract and loses its biological value.

Options for obtaining insulin for use in medical practice

Many diabetics have probably wondered at least once, what is insulin used for medical purposes made of? Currently, most often this medicine is obtained using genetic engineering and biotechnology methods, but sometimes it is extracted from raw materials of animal origin.

Preparations derived from raw materials of animal origin

Obtaining this hormone from the pancreas of pigs and cattle is an old technology that is rarely used today. This is due to the low quality of the resulting drug, its tendency to cause allergic reactions and insufficient purification. The fact is that, since the hormone is a protein substance, it consists of a certain set of amino acids.

The insulin produced in the body of a pig differs in amino acid composition from human insulin by 1 amino acid, and bovine insulin by 3.

At the beginning and middle of the 20th century, when there were no similar drugs, even such insulin became a breakthrough in medicine and made it possible to bring the treatment of diabetics to a new level. Hormones obtained by this method lowered blood sugar, although they often caused side effects and allergies. Differences in the composition of amino acids and impurities in the drug affected the condition of patients, especially in more vulnerable categories of patients (children and the elderly). Another reason for the poor tolerance of such insulin is the presence of its inactive precursor in the drug (proinsulin), which was impossible to get rid of in this variation of the drug.

Nowadays, there are improved porcine insulins that are devoid of these shortcomings. They are obtained from the pancreas of a pig, but after that they are subject to additional processing and purification. They are multicomponent and contain excipients in their composition.

Modified porcine insulin is practically no different from the human hormone, so it is still used in practice.

Such drugs are much better tolerated by patients and practically do not cause adverse reactions, they do not depress the immune system and effectively reduce blood sugar. Bovine insulin is not currently used in medicine, because due to its foreign structure, it negatively affects the immune and other systems of the human body.

Genetically engineered insulin

Human insulin, which is used for diabetics, is produced on an industrial scale in two ways:

• using enzymatic treatment of porcine insulin;
• using genetically modified strains of Escherichia coli or yeast.

With a physicochemical change, the porcine insulin molecules under the action of special enzymes become identical to human insulin. The amino acid composition of the resulting drug is no different from the composition of the natural hormone that is produced in the human body. During the production process, the medicine undergoes high purification, therefore it does not cause allergic reactions and other undesirable manifestations.

But most often, insulin is obtained using modified (genetically modified) microorganisms. Bacteria or yeast are biotechnologically altered so that they can produce insulin themselves.

In addition to the production of insulin itself, its purification plays an important role. So that the drug does not cause any allergic and inflammatory reactions, at each stage it is necessary to monitor the purity of strains of microorganisms and all solutions, as well as the ingredients used.

There are 2 methods for obtaining insulin in this way. The first of them is based on the use of two different strains (species) of a single microorganism. Each of them synthesizes only one strand of the hormone DNA molecule (there are two in total, and they are spirally twisted together). Then these chains are connected, and in the resulting solution it is already possible to separate the active forms of insulin from those that do not carry any biological significance.

The second way to obtain a drug using E. coli or yeast is based on the fact that the microbe first produces inactive insulin (that is, its precursor, proinsulin). Then, with the help of enzymatic treatment, this form is activated and used in medicine.

Personnel who have access to certain production areas must always be dressed in a sterile protective suit, due to which contact of the drug with human biological fluids is excluded.

All these processes are usually automated, air and all contact surfaces with ampoules and vials are sterile, and lines with equipment are hermetically sealed.

Biotechnology methods enable scientists to think about alternative solutions to the problem of diabetes. For example, preclinical studies are currently underway on the production of artificial pancreatic beta cells, which can be obtained using genetic engineering methods. Perhaps in the future they will be used to improve the functioning of this organ in a sick person.

The production of modern is a complex technological process that provides for automation and minimal human intervention.

Additional components

Manufacture of insulin excipients V modern world almost impossible to imagine, because they improve its chemical properties, extend the duration of action and achieve a high degree of purity.

According to their properties, all additional ingredients can be divided into the following classes:

• prolongators (substances that are used to ensure a longer action of the drug);
• disinfectant components;
• stabilizers, thanks to which optimal acidity is maintained in the drug solution.

Prolonging additives

There are extended-acting insulins, the biological activity of which lasts for 8 to 42 hours (depending on the drug group). This effect is achieved by adding special substances, prolongators, to the injection solution. Most often, one of the following compounds is used for this purpose:

• proteins;
• chloride salts of zinc.

Proteins that prolong the action of the drug are highly purified and are low allergenic (for example, protamine). Zinc salts also do not adversely affect either insulin activity or human well-being.

Antimicrobial Ingredients

Disinfectors in the composition of insulin are necessary so that the microbial flora does not multiply during storage and use. These substances are preservatives and ensure the safety of the biological activity of the drug. In addition, if a patient injects a hormone from one vial only to himself, then the medicine may last him for several days. Due to high-quality antibacterial components, he will not need to throw away an unused drug due to the theoretical possibility of reproduction in a solution of microbes.

The following substances can be used as disinfectants in the production of insulin:

• metacresol;
• phenol;
• parabens.

If the solution contains zinc ions, they also act as an additional preservative due to their antimicrobial properties.

For the production of each type of insulin, certain disinfectant components are suitable. Their interaction with the hormone must be investigated at the stage of preclinical trials, since the preservative should not disrupt the biological activity of insulin or otherwise adversely affect its properties.

The use of preservatives in most cases allows you to enter the hormone under the skin without pre-treatment with alcohol or other antiseptics (the manufacturer usually mentions this in the instructions). This simplifies the administration of the drug and reduces the number of preparatory manipulations before the injection itself. But this recommendation only works if the solution is administered using an individual insulin syringe with a thin needle.

Stabilizers

Stabilizers are needed to keep the pH of the solution at a given level. The level of acidity depends on the safety of the drug, its activity and stability. chemical properties. In the production of injectable hormone for diabetic patients, phosphates are usually used for this purpose.

Solution stabilizers are not always needed for insulins with zinc, since the metal ions help maintain the necessary balance. If they are still used, then other chemical compounds are used instead of phosphates, since the combination of these substances leads to precipitation and the unsuitability of the drug. Important property, presented to all stabilizers - safety and the inability to enter into any reactions with insulin.

The selection of injectable drugs for diabetes for each individual patient should be handled by a competent endocrinologist. The task of insulin is not only to maintain a normal level of sugar in the blood, but also not to harm other organs and systems. The drug should be chemically neutral, low allergenic and preferably affordable. It is also quite convenient if the selected insulin can be mixed with other versions of it for the duration of action.

People with diabetes, especially those who have the first type of the disease, must control their blood glucose levels throughout their lives, systematically use drugs prescribed by the doctor to maintain normal sugar levels, and also inject insulin.

In order to know the level of sugar in the blood, there are many varieties of devices called "glucometer", which allows you to control it almost at any time, and if it is too high or low, take measures to stabilize it.

Diabetes Mellitus: Benefits

Each patient who has diabetes is one of the people who are called beneficiaries. It follows that each of these people is entitled to free insulin and other medicines provided by the state. What are type 1 diabetics eligible for?

1. Get free insulin and syringes.
2. Get treated in a hospital.
3. Get a glucometer and supplies.

The state is also obliged to provide patients with all possible drugs to stabilize blood sugar levels.

Procedure for taking insulin

There are two options for getting insulin:

• purchase of medicines in pharmacies without a prescription;
• obtaining a prescription from a doctor.

The first option exists so that patients who do not have time to issue a prescription or for any reason can purchase a drug at a pharmacy. The second option involves issuing a prescription for a medicine by the attending physician for those people who are the indigenous inhabitants of the country, that is, they have a residence permit. An endocrinologist or a nurse who is included in the register for issuing prescriptions for drugs has the right to issue insulin.

How to get free insulin

To date, there is a procedure for issuing medicine to citizens who need it. The drug is issued by the attending physician personally to the patient. The doctor will need the following documents to issue a prescription:

• passport;
• medical insurance (policy);
• individual insurance policy;
• document confirming disability;
• document of their PF on non-refusal of social services.

How to treat insulin shock in diabetes

After submitting the necessary documents, the doctor writes prescriptions. With the latter, you need to contact one of the pharmacies with which contracts for the issuance of prescription drugs have been concluded. state program. Prescriptions issued by a doctor are valid from 14 days to 30 days. This information is indicated directly on the prescription. Not only the patient, but also his close relatives can receive insulin when submitting a prescription form. If temporarily the medicine prescribed by the prescription doctor is not available in the pharmacy, then a number of the following actions should be done: contact the administrator-pharmacist with a request to register a document that gives the right to receive the medicine in a journal specially designed for this procedure. After that, within ten working days, the drug must be issued. If the medicine is not dispensed within the specified terms, then the pharmacy is obliged to provide information on further actions.

What to do if the prescription is lost

If it so happened that for some reason the prescription for the issuance of a free medicine was lost, in this case it is necessary to re-contact the endocrinologist who wrote out the prescriptions. The doctor will write out new prescription forms.

The doctor refused to issue an insulin prescription

If the doctor refuses to issue a prescription to the patient, in this case, you need to contact the head physician of the department with a request to give an explanation of the situation. In the event that the head physician also refused to issue a prescription and give any explanations, it is necessary to request a refusal in writing in two copies. On one of them there should be a mark of a medical institution on incoming correspondence. Additionally, you should contact the Health Insurance Fund with a statement about non-compliance with the duties of the polyclinic employees. Therefore, if none of the above measures worked, then you need to directly contact the prosecutor's office with a requirement to the relevant law to suppress violations by health workers.

An insulin-dependent person must receive insulin in the appropriate institutions in the manner prescribed by law without any obstacles. This procedure is vital for people with diabetes mellitus.

According to statistics, about three hundred million people suffer from this disease in various forms on the planet. Of this number, about half require insulin therapy. This suggests that without a dose of insulin, a person's blood sugar levels can rise at a certain time, which can lead to serious complications if this happens systematically. Patients with diabetes need to take their health very seriously. Monitor blood glucose every day and, if necessary, give an additional injection of insulin. Consultation with an endocrinologist is also periodically necessary.

The question of what insulin is made of is of interest not only to doctors and pharmacists, but also to patients with diabetes, as well as their relatives and friends. Today, this hormone, unique and so important for human health, can be obtained from various raw materials using specially developed and carefully tested technologies. Depending on the method of preparation, the following types of insulin are distinguished:

• Pork or bovine, also called an animal preparation
• Biosynthetic aka modified pork
• Genetically engineered or recombinant
• genetically modified
• Synthetic

Pork insulin has been used for the longest time to treat diabetes. Its use was started in the 20s of the last century. It should be noted that pig or animal was the only drug until the 80s of the last century. For its production, pancreatic tissue of animals is used. However, this method can hardly be called optimal or simple: working with biological raw materials is not always convenient, and the raw materials themselves are not enough.

In addition, the composition of porcine insulin does not quite coincide with the composition of the hormone produced by the body of a healthy person: their structure contains various amino acid residues. It should be noted that the hormones produced by the pancreas of cattle have an even greater number of differences, which cannot be called a positive phenomenon.

In addition to a pure multicomponent substance, such a preparation invariably contains the so-called proinsulin, a substance that is practically impossible to separate using modern purification methods. It is he who often becomes a source of allergic reactions, which is especially dangerous for children and the elderly.

For this reason, scientists around the world have long been interested in the question of bringing the composition of the hormone produced by animals into full compliance with the hormones of the pancreas of a healthy person. A real breakthrough in the pharmacology and treatment of diabetes mellitus was the production of a semi-synthetic drug obtained by replacing the amino acid alanine in an animal preparation with threonine.

In this case, the semi-synthetic method for obtaining the hormone is based on the use of animal products. In other words, they simply undergo modification and become identical to the hormones produced by humans. Among their advantages is compatibility with the human body and the absence of allergic reactions.

The disadvantages of this method include the lack of raw materials and the complexity of working with biological materials, as well as the high cost of both the technology itself and the resulting drug.

In this connection the best drug for the treatment of diabetes is recombinant insulin obtained through genetic engineering. By the way, it is often called genetically engineered insulin, thus indicating the method of its production, and the resulting product is called human insulin, thus emphasizing its absolute identity to the hormones produced by the pancreas of a healthy person.

Among the advantages of genetically engineered insulin, one should also note its high degree of purity and the absence of proinsulin, as well as the fact that it does not cause any allergic reactions and has no contraindications.

The frequently asked question is quite understandable: what exactly is recombinant insulin made of? It turns out that this hormone is produced by yeast strains, as well as E. coli, placed in a special nutrient medium. At the same time, the amount of the substance obtained is so large that it is possible to completely abandon the use of drugs obtained from animal organs.

Of course, we are not talking about a simple Escherichia coli, but about genetically modified and capable of producing soluble human genetically engineered insulin, the composition and properties of which are exactly the same as those of the hormone produced by the cells of the pancreas of a healthy person.

The advantages of genetically engineered insulin are not only its absolute similarity with the human hormone, but also the ease of production, a sufficient amount of raw materials and affordable cost.

Scientists around the world call the production of recombinant insulin a real breakthrough in the treatment of diabetes. The significance of this discovery is so great and important that it is difficult to overestimate it. It is enough to simply note that today almost 95% of the need for this hormone is met with the help of genetically engineered insulin. At the same time, thousands of people who had previously been allergic to drugs got a chance for a normal life.

Reviews and comments

I have type 2 diabetes, non-insulin dependent. A friend advised me to lower my blood sugar with