Voglibose

Active composition — generic information and available medicines

Uses

Voglibose is used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes
It is used in addition to diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes.

How it works

Voglibose is an anti-diabetic medication. It inhibits the intestinal enzymes that cause breakdown of complex sugars into simple sugars such as glucose. This prevents blood glucose from rising very high after meals.

Side effects

Skin rash, Flatulence, Abdominal pain, Diarrhoea

Expert advice

Voglibose is used together with other diabetes medicines to control blood sugar and avoids long-term complications.
You should continue to exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and take your other diabetes medicines along with Voglibose.
Voglibose lowers your post-meal blood sugar levels, and therefore should be taken just before meals.
Side effects such as stomach pain, gas, and diarrhoea may occur during the first few weeks of treatment but should get better with time.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Can I use Voglibose for weight loss?: No. Voglibose is not approved for weight loss. It can produce weight loss on prolonged use due to inhibition of carbohydrate digestion and delayed gastric emptying. It is used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus with post-prandial hyperglycemia.
Q. Voglibose should not be used in which condition?: Voglibose should not be used in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, colonic ulceration, intestinal obstruction, or chronic intestinal disease and in patients with severe hepatic impairment.
Q. Can I use Voglibose with insulin?: Yes. Voglibose can be used along with Insulin. It may potentiate the hypoglycemic effects of insulin, so the dosages of these agents may need to be changed accordingly.
Q. What would be the benefit to taking Pioglitazone vs Voglibose?: Pioglitazone gives a better control of blood sugar as compared to Voglibose.
Q. Which class of drug Voglibose belongs?: Voglibose belongs to the class of drug known as an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor.
Q. How to use Voglibose?: Voglibose are taken orally and should be chewed with the first mouthful of food, or swallowed whole with a little liquid directly before the meal. It is only effective in patients eating complex carbohydrates as they delay glucose absorption until further along the digestive tract.
Q. Why is Voglibose safer than acarbose?: Voglibose has less chance of causing flatulence and gastrointestinal side effects than acarbose.
Q. Can I take Voglibose and metformin in combination?: Yes. Voglibose can be taken with metformin.