Abstract

A REVIEW ON: - PHARMACOTHERAPY OF DIABETES MELLITUS

Sonal S. Ithape*, Dr. Hemant V. Kamble, Santosh A. Waghmare and Dhanajay D. Narsale

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Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major public health issue affecting more than 400 million people worldwide. This metabolic disorder progressively leads to chronic microvascular, macrovascular and neuropathic life threatening complications. DM is caused either by deficiency of insulin secretion, damage of pancreatic β cell or insulin resistance related to non-use of insulin. Inclination to sedentary lifestyle may be the major reason for the continual rise in the number of diabetic patients globally which is expected to strike 366 million in 2030 in the elderly population (>65 years). Type 1 DM and type 2 DM are the 2 types of DM. Type 1 DM is an autoimmune disorder that affects pancreatic cells which reduces or impairs the production of insulin while type 2 DM is a result of impairment of pancreatic beta cells that hinder the individual’s ability to use insulin. The major conventional classes of drugs for the treatment of hyperglycemia includes sulfonylureas (enhance release of insulin from pancreatic islets); biguanides (reduces hepatic glucose production); peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) agonists (boosts the action of insulin); α- glucosidase inhibitors (interferes with absorption of glucose in the gut).These classes of drugs are either administered as monotherapy or given in combination with other hypoglycaemics. Severe hypoglycemia, weight gain, lower therapeutic efficacy owing to improper or ineffective dosage regimen, low potency and altered side effects due to drug metabolism and lack of target specificity, solubility and permeability problems are the major drawbacks associated with the use of the above mentioned conventional drugs. This review explores the current conventional drugs used in the treatment of type 2 DM.

Keywords: Type I Diabetes Mellitus, Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Pathophysiology, Insulin, Oral Antidiabetics.