An Updated Overview of Synthetic α-glucosidase Inhibitors: Chemistry and Bioactivities

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a critical global health issue, affecting nearly half a billion people worldwide, with an increasing incidence rate and mortality. Type 2 diabetes is caused by the body's inability to effectively use insulin, and approximately 95% of patients have type 2 diabetes. α-glucosidase has emerged as an important therapeutic target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In the past years, three α-glucosidase inhibitors have been approved for clinical use, namely acarbose, voglibose, and miglitol. However, the undesirable effects associated with these carbohydrate mimic-based α-glucosidase inhibitors have limited their clinical applications. Consequently, researchers have shifted their focus towards the development of non-carbohydrate mimic α-glucosidase inhibitors that can safely and effectively manage postprandial hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes. Herein, this article provides an overview of the synthetic α-glucosidase inhibitors, particularly those based on heterocycles, which have been reported from 2018 to 2022. This article aims to provide useful information for medicinal chemists in further developing clinically available anti-type 2 diabetes drugs.