The insulin equivalence of salicylate

Abstract

The insulin equivalence of aspirin has been determined in 14 diabetics with insulin requirements of 12 to 112 units of insulin zinc suspension daily. Nine patients, who were well controlled with insulin, also had good responses to aspirin. The largest quantity of I.Z.S. replaced completely with aspirin was 48 units; the largest reduction in insulin requirement was 72 units in the patient receiving 112 units daily. Five patients who were poorly controlled with insulin were not materially improved by aspirin therapy. It was concluded that aspirin was most effective in patients who responded well to insulin, and vice versa. The findings in patients well stabilized with insulin also suggested that the higher the insulin requirement the greater was the amount of hormone that may be replaced by aspirin. These results place salicylate in the class of promising oral antidiabetic substances, and should stimulate investigations to remove its undesirable effects and to find out how it acts. © 1959, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.