CANAGLIFLOZIN - ONE MORE SOLDIER TO BATTLE DIABETES!

 Canagliflozin - This new compound has been recently approved by FDA for use in Diabetes.


Technically speaking it’s a Selective sodium-glucose transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor.

This group of drugs are considered to provide a novel approach to treatment of Diabetes.


 So what do these drugs do?


To put in very simple terms these drugs reduce the tolerability of kidney to sugar in the system so more amount of sugar is excreted in the urine thereby reducing the levels of glucose in the blood.


Many molecules are under research and some of them have reached the stage of clinical trials


To name a few


Remogliflozin
 

Sergliflozin
 

Dapagliflozin

Many other molecules are yet to be named...


The one successful candidate which had obtained FDA approval is Canagliflozin.


As I said earlier it’s a Selective sodium-glucose transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise in treatment of Type 2 Diabetes


Dosage is 100mg per day taken before first meal of the day. Dose can be raised upto 300mg/day.


As like any other medicine known to man this drug also comes with some side effects


Around 10% patients, especially the females faced problems with associated genital fungal infections. Other minor (1-6%) side effects were increased urination, fungal infections in males, vulvovaginal pruritis, thirst, constipation, nausea, and abdominal pain


LIKE FOR ANY OTHER DRUG EVEN THIS DRUG HAS TO BE TAKEN UNDER PROPER MEDICAL SUPERVISION


We are yet to get reports about long term safety and about the usage of this drug in pregnant women and children. Also before we start using this drug we will have to see the effect of this drug in Indian population. So till we get the results let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope that this drug or other molecules of this family succeed. These drugs will give us more confidence to deal with Diabetes in a much more affective way and give all our dear patients a better future!