Metformin Tablets
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
500mg · 850mg
Metformin tablets for type 2 diabetes. It reduces sugar output from the liver and helps the body respond better to its own insulin.
From$0.24/ tabletView
Metformin
Two metformin products sit on this shelf: plain Metformin Tablets at 500 mg and 850 mg, and Glucovance, which pairs metformin with glibenclamide for type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Glucovance
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
2.5mg + 400mg · 5mg + 500mg
Metformin and glibenclamide tablets for type 2 diabetes. The two drugs lower blood sugar by different routes, so one pill does the work of two separate ones.
From$1.16/ tabletView
Key points
- Lactic acidosis is the boxed warning on metformin’s label: a rare but serious build-up of acid in the blood that can be fatal, and the risk rises with kidney impairment, heavy alcohol use and certain interacting drugs.
- Metformin is a biguanide that lowers blood glucose by cutting the liver’s glucose output and increasing how well your body responds to insulin.
- Glucovance adds glibenclamide, a sulfonylurea that stimulates the pancreas to release more insulin, so the combination lowers glucose through two separate mechanisms in one tablet.
Common questions about Metformin
What separates the two products on this shelf?
Metformin Tablets contain only metformin, at 500 mg and 850 mg. Glucovance combines metformin with glibenclamide in two fixed-dose strengths: 2.5 mg + 400 mg and 5 mg + 500 mg. The single-ingredient line suits someone who needs metformin alone; the combination suits someone whose glucose is not controlled by metformin on its own.
How is metformin cleared from the body, and why does that matter?
About 90% of absorbed metformin leaves through the kidneys within 24 hours, with a plasma half-life of roughly 6.2 hours. When kidney function drops, the drug accumulates instead of clearing, and that build-up is what triggers lactic acidosis. The label sets a hard stop: metformin must not be used below an eGFR of 30 mL/minute/1.73 m².