Small molecule
PubChem CID 3478
Glipizide
Glucotrol
- Mechanism of action
- Sulfonylurea, stimulates pancreatic insulin release
- In plain language
- Tells the pancreas to release more insulin after meals, which helps pull sugar out of the bloodstream.
- How it works
- Glipizide is a second-generation sulfonylurea that binds to ATP-sensitive potassium channels on pancreatic beta cells, triggering membrane depolarization and calcium influx that stimulate insulin secretion; this insulinotropic effect requires functioning beta cells and is most pronounced within 30 minutes of an oral dose in response to a meal. With chronic dosing, fasting insulin levels are not persistently elevated, yet glycemic control can be sustained for up to 24 hours despite plasma glipizide levels having fallen substantially, suggesting a contribution from extrapancreatic mechanisms that are not fully characterized.
- Therapeutic applications
- Indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Not indicated for type 1 diabetes mellitus or diabetic ketoacidosis.
- Class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- Metabolic / Diabetes
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