Acarbose

pharmacological · digestive · Oral

Acarbose. α-Glucosidase inhibitor — competitively blocks intestinal brush-border α-glucosidases delaying carbohydrate digestion → blunts… Oral half-life 2 h.

α-Glucosidase inhibitor — competitively blocks intestinal brush-border α-glucosidases delaying carbohydrate digestion → blunts post-prandial glucose spike. Modest A1c reduction (~0.5%); GI side effects (flatulence, bloating, diarrhea) limit adherence. Researcher interest in longevity (extended lifespan in male mice in NIA ITP).