Anti-diabetic Medication - Alpha-glucosidase Inhibitors

Alpha-glucosidase Inhibitors

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors are "diabetes pills" but not technically hypoglycemic agents because they do not have a direct effect on insulin secretion or sensitivity. These agents slow the digestion of starch in the small intestine, so that glucose from the starch of a meal enters the bloodstream more slowly, and can be matched more effectively by an impaired insulin response or sensitivity. These agents are effective by themselves only in the earliest stages of impaired glucose tolerance, but can be helpful in combination with other agents in type 2 diabetes.

Typical reductions in glycated hemoglobin (A1C) values are 0.5–1.0%.

• miglitol (Glyset)
• acarbose (Precose/Glucobay)
• voglibose

These medications are rarely used in the United States because of the severity of their side-effects (flatulence and bloating). They are more commonly prescribed in Europe. They do have the potential to cause weight loss by lowering the amount of sugar metabolized.

Research has shown that the culinary mushroom maitake (Grifola frondosa) has a hypoglycemic effect, possibly due to the mushroom acting as a natural alpha glucosidase inhibitor.