Pharmacologically relevant drug interactions of α glucosidase inhibitors

The α-glucosidase inhibitors are antidiabetic agents suppressing the postprandial hyperglycemia and they include Acarbose, Miglitol and Voglibose. These drugs could be used alone or as add-on therapy to treat patients with type 2 diabetes taking other antidiabetic drugs. The gastrointestinal motility is increased by the administration of Acarbose, which may lead to decreased absorption of Digoxin and Metronidazole. The glucose lowering effects of antidiabetic drugs such as Metformin, Glibenclamide, Rosiglitazone, Vildagliptin and Dapagliflozin might be enhanced by the coadministration of α-glucosidase inhibitors, though there were reports of little or no alterations in the pharmacokinetics properties of them.