Insulin: Almost a Century of Lifesaving

Abstract

The identification and purification of insulin in 1922 changed life for individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Its discovery was, to a certain extent, serendipitous. Although medical researchers suspected that some type of hormone was responsible for carbohydrate metabolism, by the end of the 19th century they had made little progress. When World War I broke out, efforts stalled. A somewhat cantankerous group of Canadian researchers led by Frederick Grant Banting, a surgeon, are credited with insulin's discovery. Their initial research was discredited and criticized for poor technique. Regardless, they persevered, and in January 1922 they successfully treated their first patient. A mere nine months later, collaboration between the University of Toronto and Eli Lilly Company made insulin available in North America. Derived from beef and pork pancreases, the 40 unit/mL product little resembled today's more refined human insulin. While insulin is indispensable to individuals with T1DM, it is also used or being studied for several different conditions. Some researchers have dubbed Alzheimer's disease "type 3 diabetes" because of similar aberrations in the blood-brain barrier and protein deposits.