SHEET /vs/metformin-vs-semaglutide · COMPARISON
Metformin vs Semaglutide: what is the difference?
How they differ
These are both treatments for type 2 diabetes and they are barely comparable as molecules. Metformin is tiny, four carbons and five nitrogens at 129.16, descended from a compound in goat's rue, and it works mainly by reducing glucose production in the liver and improving insulin sensitivity. Semaglutide is a peptide of 31 amino acids at 4114, a modified copy of the gut hormone GLP-1 with a fatty acid chain attached so it binds albumin and lasts a week rather than minutes. Semaglutide slows stomach emptying and acts on appetite centres, which is why it also produces substantial weight loss, and metformin does so only slightly. Metformin is taken by mouth and remains the usual first-line choice; semaglutide is normally injected, with one oral formulation.
Side by side
| Metformin | Semaglutide | |
|---|---|---|
| Formula | C4H11N5 | C187H291N45O59 |
| Molecular weight | 129.16 g/mol | 4,114 g/mol |
| Family | Diabetes medicines | Diabetes medicines |
| Everyday group | Prescription medicine | Prescription medicine |
| Functional groups | Amines | Alcohols, Carboxylic Acids, Amines, Aromatics, Amides, Phenols, Ethers |
| GHS signal wordThe supplier-filed hazard label, not a statement about ordinary use. | Warning | Danger |
| Oral LD50A single acute animal measure. It ranks nothing about human safety. | 1,000 mg/kg (oral, rat) | not recorded |
| CAS number | 657-24-9 | 910463-68-2 |
| PubChem CID | 4091 | 56843331 |
Common questions
- What is the difference between Metformin and Semaglutide?
- These are both treatments for type 2 diabetes and they are barely comparable as molecules. Metformin is tiny, four carbons and five nitrogens at 129.16, descended from a compound in goat's rue, and it works mainly by reducing glucose production in the liver and improving insulin sensitivity. Semaglutide is a peptide of 31 amino acids at 4114, a modified copy of the gut hormone GLP-1 with a fatty acid chain attached so it binds albumin and lasts a week rather than minutes.
- Is Metformin bigger than Semaglutide?
- Semaglutide is the heavier molecule, 4,114 g/mol against 129.16 g/mol for Metformin. Metformin is C4H11N5 and Semaglutide is C187H291N45O59.
Read the full records: Metformin and Semaglutide.