Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.2.1.20 (alpha-glucosidase)
 4,237 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Acarbose, a potent alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, represents a new concept for the treatment of metabolic disorders, and particularly diabetes mellitus. It slows the absorption kinetics of dietary carbohydrates by reversible competitive inhibition of alpha-glucosidase activity, and so reduces the post-prandial blood glucose increment and insulin response. For these reasons, the drug has been successfully used not only in the treatment of type I or type II diabetes, but also in the management of reactive hypoglycemias and dumping syndrome. In addition, some data suggest a possible role in the treatment of type IV hyperlipidemia. Because of the delay in absorption of oligo- and disaccharides resulting from its administration, a colic bacterial fermentation occurs, accounting for the frequent abdominal discomfort mentioned by the patients. These side effects would be lessened with the second generation glucosidase inhibitors now in progress.
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PMID:[Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors: a new therapeutic approach in diabetes and functional hypoglycemia]. 267 46

Nocturnal hypoglycemia is common in the diabetic patient on twice-daily regular and intermediate (NPH or lente) insulin regimens because intermediate-acting insulins before the main evening meal produce "unopposed" free insulin peaks around 0300 h, food absorption having been completed much earlier. Fourteen insulin-dependent diabetic patients were treated for 6 wk with the alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, acarbose, in a double-blind crossover study to see whether the drug would delay absorption of the evening meal sufficiently to correct the mismatch and prevent nocturnal hypoglycemia. On 200 mg acarbose (six patients), inhibition of carbohydrate digestion was so profound as to lead to midevening hypoglycemia with severe flatulence and abdominal colic. With a smaller dose of 100 mg before the evening meal (eight patients) there was a significant reduction in MAGE and MBG coupled with a clinically significant reduction in midevening and nocturnal hypoglycemic reactions. Alpha-glucosidase inhibition therefore provides a promising new approach to the problem of nocturnal hypoglycemia although a preparation that is safe for long-term clinical use remains to be found.
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PMID:A new approach to the treatment of nocturnal hypoglycemia using alpha-glucosidase inhibition. 640 Jul 9