acarbose

Today it means: An antidiabetic drug C₂₅H₄₃NO₁₈ (trademark Precose) that is taken orally as a tablet in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It is an oligosaccharide produced by fermentation of a bacterium (Actinoplanes utahensis). The drug slows the absorption of glucose in the small intestine by inhibiting enzymes that break down complex carbohydrates. Full definition →