Influence of acarbose on hyperglycemia induced by various carbohydrates in rats and oral starch tolerance in monkeys.

Acarbose, an alpha-glycosidehydrolase inhibitor, reduced hyperglycemia after an oral sucrose or starch load in the rat. The compound showed weaker activity in inhibiting maltose-induced hyperglycemia and no effect on glucose or lactose tolerance in the rat. In the Cebus monkey, the oral starch tolerance curve was significantly inhibited by acarbose at a dose comparable to that showing activity in man. Therefore, the Cebus monkey appears to be a suitable animal model for studying agents which affect starch tolerance in man.