Informational only — Not medical advice. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider.

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Community data Updated 2 months ago
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Indications

Diabetes Mellitus

Acaril is used together with a proper diet and regular exercise to help control blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.

⚠️ Always consult a registered physician before taking any medicine.

Pharmacology

Acarbose works differently from sulfonylureas: it does not increase insulin secretion. Instead, its antihyperglycemic effect comes from competitively and reversibly inhibiting two enzymes, pancreatic alpha-amylase and membrane-bound intestinal alpha-glucoside hydrolase. Pancreatic alpha-amylase normally breaks down complex starches into oligosaccharides within the small intestine, while the membrane-bound intestinal alpha-glucosidases break down oligosaccharides, trisaccharides, and disaccharides into glucose and other simple sugars at the intestinal brush border. By inhibiting these enzymes, Acarbose slows glucose absorption in people with diabetes and reduces the rise in blood sugar that occurs after meals.

Because it works through a distinct mechanism, Acarbose's glucose-lowering effect adds to that of sulfonylureas, insulin, or metformin when used alongside them. It also reduces the insulin-stimulating and weight-gain effects associated with sulfonylureas. Since Acarbose does not inhibit lactase, it is not expected to cause lactose intolerance.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Category B. There isn't enough evidence yet to confirm that Acarbose is safe to use during pregnancy. Studies in lactating rats found that a small amount of radioactivity appeared in the milk after the mother received radiolabeled acarbose, but whether the drug itself passes into human breast milk is still unknown. Since many medicines do pass into breast milk, Acarbose is not recommended for women who are breastfeeding.

⚠️ Talk to your doctor before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Dosage Reference

⚠️ Reference ranges from official sources only. Consult your doctor for personalized dosing.

Adults: The recommended starting dose of Acarbose is 25 mg taken by mouth three times a day, with the first bite of each main meal. Some patients, however, may do better with a more gradual increase in dose to help reduce stomach and gut side effects. This can be done by starting treatment at 25 mg once a day and then slowly increasing how often it is taken until a dose of 25 mg three times a day is reached. Maintenance Dosage Once a dosage of 25 mg three times a day has been reached, the dose of Acarbose should be adjusted every 4 to 8 weeks based on one-hour after-meal blood glucose levels or glycosylated hemoglobin levels, as well as how well the patient tolerates the medicine. The dose can be raised from 25 mg three times a day to 50 mg three times a day. Some patients may benefit from a further increase to 100 mg three times a day. The usual maintenance dose ranges from 50 mg three times a day to 100 mg three times a day.

Side Effects & Interactions

Side Effects

No side-effect data recorded yet.