Miglitol
Encyclopedia
Miglitol is an oral anti-diabetic drug
that acts by inhibiting the ability of the patient to breakdown complex carbohydrates into glucose. It is primarily used in diabetes mellitus type 2
for establishing greater glycemic control by preventing the digestion of carbohydrate
s (such as disaccharide
s, oligosaccharide
s, and polysaccharide
s) into monosaccharide
s which can be absorbed by the body.
Miglitol inhibits glycoside hydrolase
enzymes called alpha-glucosidase
s. Since miglitol works by preventing digestion of carbohydrates, it lowers the degree of postprandial
hyperglycemia
. It must be taken at the start of main meals to have maximal effect. Its effect will depend on the amount of non-monosaccharide carbohydrates in a person's diet.
In contrast to acarbose
(another alpha-glucosidase
inhibitor), miglitol is systemically absorbed; however, it is not metabolized and is excreted by the kidneys.
Anti-diabetic drug
Anti-diabetic medications treat diabetes mellitus by lowering glucose levels in the blood. With the exceptions of insulin, exenatide, and pramlintide, all are administered orally and are thus also called oral hypoglycemic agents or oral antihyperglycemic agents...
that acts by inhibiting the ability of the patient to breakdown complex carbohydrates into glucose. It is primarily used in diabetes mellitus type 2
Diabetes mellitus type 2
Diabetes mellitus type 2formerly non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or adult-onset diabetesis a metabolic disorder that is characterized by high blood glucose in the context of insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. Diabetes is often initially managed by increasing exercise and...
for establishing greater glycemic control by preventing the digestion of carbohydrate
Carbohydrate
A carbohydrate is an organic compound with the empirical formula ; that is, consists only of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with a hydrogen:oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 . However, there are exceptions to this. One common example would be deoxyribose, a component of DNA, which has the empirical...
s (such as disaccharide
Disaccharide
A disaccharide or biose is the carbohydrate formed when two monosaccharides undergo a condensation reaction which involves the elimination of a small molecule, such as water, from the functional groups only. Like monosaccharides, disaccharides form an aqueous solution when dissolved in water...
s, oligosaccharide
Oligosaccharide
An oligosaccharide is a saccharide polymer containing a small number of component sugars, also known as simple sugars...
s, and polysaccharide
Polysaccharide
Polysaccharides are long carbohydrate molecules, of repeated monomer units joined together by glycosidic bonds. They range in structure from linear to highly branched. Polysaccharides are often quite heterogeneous, containing slight modifications of the repeating unit. Depending on the structure,...
s) into monosaccharide
Monosaccharide
Monosaccharides are the most basic units of biologically important carbohydrates. They are the simplest form of sugar and are usually colorless, water-soluble, crystalline solids. Some monosaccharides have a sweet taste. Examples of monosaccharides include glucose , fructose , galactose, xylose...
s which can be absorbed by the body.
Miglitol inhibits glycoside hydrolase
Glycoside hydrolase
Glycoside hydrolases catalyze the hydrolysis of the glycosidic linkage to release smaller sugars...
enzymes called alpha-glucosidase
Alpha-glucosidase
Alpha-glucosidase is a glucosidase acting upon 1,4-alpha bonds. This is in contrast to beta-glucosidase.The term maltase, which refers to an enzyme cleaving maltose, is nearly equivalent.Types include:* Acid alpha-glucosidase* neutral** GANAB** GANC...
s. Since miglitol works by preventing digestion of carbohydrates, it lowers the degree of postprandial
Postprandial
Postprandial means after eating a meal while preprandial is before a meal.-Usages of the term:This term is used in many contexts but also in relation to blood sugar levels, which are normally measured 2 hours after and before eating in a postprandial glucose test...
hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia or Hyperglycæmia, or high blood sugar, is a condition in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma. This is generally a glucose level higher than 13.5mmol/l , but symptoms may not start to become noticeable until even higher values such as 15-20 mmol/l...
. It must be taken at the start of main meals to have maximal effect. Its effect will depend on the amount of non-monosaccharide carbohydrates in a person's diet.
In contrast to acarbose
Acarbose
Acarbose is an anti-diabetic drug used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus and, in some countries, prediabetes. It is a generic sold in Europe and China as Glucobay , in North America as Precose , and in Canada as Prandase...
(another alpha-glucosidase
Alpha-glucosidase
Alpha-glucosidase is a glucosidase acting upon 1,4-alpha bonds. This is in contrast to beta-glucosidase.The term maltase, which refers to an enzyme cleaving maltose, is nearly equivalent.Types include:* Acid alpha-glucosidase* neutral** GANAB** GANC...
inhibitor), miglitol is systemically absorbed; however, it is not metabolized and is excreted by the kidneys.