Article: Glipizide

Glipizide
Systematic (IUPAC) name
N-[2-[4-(cyclohexylcarbamoylsulfamoyl)phenyl]ethyl]- 5-methyl-pyridine-2-carboxamide
Identifiers
CAS number	29094-61-9
ATC code	A10BB07
PubChem	3478
DrugBank	APRD00436
Chemical data
Formula	C21H27N5O4S
Mol. weight	445.536 g/mol
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	100% (regular formulation) 90% (extended release)
Protein binding	98 to 99%
Metabolism	Hepatic hydroxylation
Half life	2 to 5 hours
Excretion	Renal and fecal
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat.	C (Au, U.S.)
Legal status	POM (UK), ℞-only (U.S.)
Routes	Oral

Glipizide is an oral medium-to-long acting anti-diabetic drug from the sulfonylurea class. It is classified as a second generation Sulfonylurea, which means that it undergoes enterohepatic circulation. The structure on the R2 group is a much larger cyclo or aromatic group compared to the 1st generation sulfonylureas. This leads to a once a day dosing that is much less then the first generation, about 100 fold.

Mechanism of action is produced by blocking potassium K+ channels in the Beta cells of the Islets of Langerhans. By partially blocking the K+ channels, you will increase the time the cell spends in the Calcium release stage of cell signaling leading to an increase in calcium. The increase in Calcium will initiate more Insulin release from each Beta cell.

It is available under the brand name Glucotrol® by Pfizer, originally available in 1984. Pfizer sells Glucotrol in doses of 5 and 10 milligrams and Glucotrol XL (an extended release form of glipizide) in doses of 2.5, 5, and 10 milligrams. Other companies sell generic forms of glipizide, most commonly extended release tablets of 5 and 10 milligrams.