Translations:Insulin analog/12/en
Animal insulin
The amino acid sequence of animal insulins in different mammals may be similar to human insulin (insulin human INN), there is however considerable viability within vertebrate species. Porcine insulin has only a single amino acid variation from the human variety, and bovine insulin varies by three amino acids. Both are active on the human receptor with approximately the same strength. Bovine insulin and porcine insulin may be considered as the first clinically used insulin analogs (naturally occurring, produced by extraction from animal pancreas), at the time when biosynthetic human insulin (insulin human rDNA) was not available. There are extensive reviews on structure-relationship of naturally occurring insulins (phylogenic relationship in animals) and structural modifications. Prior to the introduction of biosynthetic human insulin, insulin derived from sharks was widely used in Japan. Insulin from some species of fish may be also effective in humans. Non-human insulins have caused allergic reactions in some patients related to the extent of purification, formation of non-neutralising antibodies is rarely observed with recombinant human insulin (insulin human rDNA) but allergy may occur in some patients. This may be enhanced by the preservatives used in insulin preparations, or occur as a reaction to the preservative. Biosynthetic insulin (insulin human rDNA) has largely replaced animal insulin.