title: An evaluation of the potential side-effects of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors used for the management of diabetes mellitus.
abstract: Orally taken alpha-glucosidase inhibitors are used for the management of diabetes mellitus. These drugs can prevent the postprandial rise of the blood glucose level by inhibiting the enzymatic digestion of carbohydrates in the intestinal lumen. Non-absorbable inhibitors such as acarbose are expected to function exclusively in the intestine, but absorbable inhibitors such as miglitol may exert an inhibitory effect on non-intestinal alpha-glucosidases present in the various cell types of the body. The potential side-effects of absorbable inhibitors are evaluated in this literature review. It is concluded that there is little risk of inducing unwanted side-effects when miglitol is taken in an oral dose of approximately 1 mg kg-1 body weight. The use of absorbable inhibitors is, however, not advised in case of kidney dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Reuser
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Wisselaar
mesh_terms: D017485:1-Deoxynojirimycin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D020909:Acarbose; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D000075202:Contraindications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000503:physiopathology; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006008:Glycogen Storage Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050112:Imino Pyranoses; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013394:Sucrase-Isomaltase Complex / Q000172:deficiency; D014312:Trisaccharides / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006023:Glycoproteins; D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D050112:Imino Pyranoses; D014312:Trisaccharides; C045621:miglitol; D017485:1-Deoxynojirimycin; D006003:Glycogen; D013394:Sucrase-Isomaltase Complex; D005944:Glucosamine; D020909:Acarbose