Glucagon

peptide · endocrine · digestive · IV · Intramuscular · Subcutaneous · Intranasal

Glucagon, a peptide. 29-residue counter-regulatory hormone from pancreatic α-cells. Activates GcgR (Gs-coupled → cAMP) primarily on hepatocytes →… IV half-life 0.1 h.

29-residue counter-regulatory hormone from pancreatic α-cells. Activates GcgR (Gs-coupled → cAMP) primarily on hepatocytes → glycogenolysis + gluconeogenesis → rapid glucose rise. Also has minor effects on lipolysis. Rescue agent for severe insulin-induced hypoglycemia when glucose cannot be given orally.

PK: Alford 1976 (PMID:773949), 9 normal subjects, constant IV infusion, verbatim "t1/2 4.8 +/- 0.2 min" — 0.08 h. The stored 0.07 h (4.2 min) matched neither that nor the diabetic arm's 6.6 min; a rounding correction, same citation. The same abstract gives a metabolic clearance rate of 9.0 +/- 0.6 mL/kg/min in controls if a clearance term is ever wanted.

Pharmacokinetics

• IV — t½ 5 min

Sources: PMID:773949