Buformin, along with phenformin and metformin, inhibits the growth and development of cancer. Pharmaceutical drugs that are substituted phenethylamines include phenelzine, phenformin, and fanetizole, among many others. Phenformin is well absorbed after oral administration. In the US, in 2001 the FDA recalled Chinese "herbal products" containing phenformin. Phenformin is an antidiabetic drug from the biguanide class. Phenformin when administered by itself has a high incidence of lactic acidosis. In 1977, 385,000 patients with early-stage diabetes were taking phenformin in the US.