Phenformin

Phenformin
Clinical data
AHFS/Drugs.comInternational Drug Names
Routes of
administration		Oral
ATC code
Identifiers
  • 2-(N-phenethylcarbamimidoyl)guanidine
CAS Number
PubChem CID
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.003.689 Edit this at Wikidata
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC10H15N5
Molar mass205.265 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
Melting point175 to 178 °C (347 to 352 °F)
  • N(=C(/N=C(\N)N)N)\CCc1ccccc1
  • InChI=1S/C10H15N5/c11-9(12)15-10(13)14-7-6-8-4-2-1-3-5-8/h1-5H,6-7H2,(H6,11,12,13,14,15) checkY
  • Key:ICFJFFQQTFMIBG-UHFFFAOYSA-N checkY
 ☒NcheckY (what is this?)  (verify)

Phenformin is an antidiabetic drug from the biguanide class. It was marketed as DBI by Ciba-Geigy, but was withdrawn from most markets in the late 1970s due to a high risk of lactic acidosis, which was fatal in 50% of cases.

Phenformin was developed in 1957 by Ungar, Freedman and Seymour Shapiro, working for the U.S. Vitamin Corporation. Clinical trials begun in 1958 showed it to be effective, but with gastrointestinal side effects.[1]

  1. ^ McKendry JB, Kuwayti K, Rado PP (May 1959). "Clinical experience with DBI (phenformin) in the management of diabetes". Canadian Medical Association Journal. 80 (10): 773–778. PMC 1831029. PMID 13652024.