Exenatide hormonal

The concentration versus time profiles after subcutaneous injection of 10 micrograms of exenatide into the abdomen, arm, and thigh were similar in 28 people with type 2 diabetes, mean age 56 years (18). Long-term injection of insulin can cause local problems such as lipohypertrophy, and so rotation of injection sites is recommended. Similar problems have also been reported with growth hormone. It would therefore be wise to vary the injection site of exenatide, as systemic availability is comparable. 

Gryskiewicz K, Coleman CL Exenatide. A novel incretin mimetic hormone for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Formulary 2005 40 86-90. 

Incretin hormones such as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) cause insulin release from the pancreatic p-cells. Exenatide (Byetta , Amylin... 

Exenatide is a dmg that is described as an incretin mimetic in that it has a strong stmctural resemblance to GLP-1. This dmg is a synthetic peptide based on a hormone, exendin-4, found in the saliva of the Gila monster. Research on this peptide showed that it had properties similar to GLP-1. Now, GLP-1 cannot be administered to patients with type 2 diabetes since it is rapidly inactivated in the body by DPP-4, as indicated above. Due to the stmctural similarity between GLP-1 and exendin-4, it was investigated as a GLP-1 mimetic and shown to work effectively. It was also shown to have a considerably longer half-life than GLP-1 as it was not broken down by DPP-4 as quickly as the natural analogue. 

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