What is "voglibose"

n. An alpha glucosidase inhibitor used to lower blood glucose levels in diabetics.

Voglibose ( INN and USAN, trade name Voglib, marketed by Mascot Health Series) is an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor used for lowering post-prandial blood glucose levels in people with diabetes mellitus. Voglibose delays the absorption of glucose thereby reducing the risk of macrovascular complications. Voglibose is a research product of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, Japan's largest pharmaceutical company. Voglibose was first launched in 1994, under the trade name BASEN, to improve postprandial hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus.

Postprandial hyperglycemia (PPHG) is primarily due to first phase insulin secretion. Alpha glucosidase inhibitors delay glucose absorption at the intestine level and thereby prevent sudden surge of glucose after a meal.

There are three drugs which belong to this class, acarbose, miglitol and voglibose, of which voglibose is the newest.