Incidence of diabetes has been growing worldwide over the last 20 years. Due to its impact on health worldwide, a search for novel treatment options for diabetes has been undertaken. Two promising compounds for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus are linagliptin and empagliflozin.
Linagliptin is an inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4). DPP-4 is expressed in a wide variety of cells, and performs various functions in these cells. In diabetes, inhibition of DPP-4 leads to an increase of insulin and lowering of blood glucose. Linagliptin is efficacious in rodent models mimicking type 1 diabetes. Linagliptin reduces oxidative stress to levels of normal rats, lessens incidence of cardiac injury. Additionally, linagliptin reduces renal injury and ameliorates kidney fibrosis in the same streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes rodent model.
Empagliflozin is an inhibitor of sodium glucose cotransporter type 2 (SGLT-2). Empagliflozin lowers the amount of blood glucose and increases the amount of insulin found in Zucker diabetic fatty rats. It also reduces cardiovascular stress in type 2 diabetes mice models with prolonged treatment.
Combined treatment with lingaliptin/empagliflozin in human subjects showed modest weight loss, and no incidents of hypoglycemia.
Linagliptin and Empagliflozin are now available from LKT Laboratories, Inc. for your research needs.
References:
Hansen HH, Jelsing J, Hansen CF et al. The Sodium Glucose Cotransporter Type 2 Inhibitor Empagliflozin Preserves Beta-Cell Mass and Restores Glucose Homeostasis in the Male Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rat. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. September 2014. 350:657-664. doi: 10.1124/jpet/114/213454.
Kanasaki K, Shi S, Kanasaki M et al. Lingaliptin-Mediated DPP-4 Inhibitions Ameliorates Kidney Fibrosis in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice by Inhibiting Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in a Therapeutic Regimen. Diabetes. June 2014. 63:2120-2131. doi: 10.2337/db13-1029.
Lin B, Koibuchi, N, Hasegawa, Y et al. Glycemic control with empagliflozin, a novel selective SGLT2 inhibitor, ameliorates cardiovascular injursy and cognitive dysfunction in obese and type 2 diabetic mice. Cardiovascular Diabetology, 2014, 13:148. doi: 10.1186/s12933-014-0148-1.
Salheen SM, Panchapakesan U, Pollock CA and Woodman OL. The Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor Linagliptin Preserves Endothelial Function in Mesenteric Arteries from Type 1 Diabetic Rats withouth Decreasing Plasma Glucose. PLoS ONE 10(11): e0143941. doi: 10.10371/journal.pone/0143941.
Woo, V. Empagliflozin/linagliptin single-tablet combination: first-in-class treatment option. Int J Clin Pract, Dec 2015, 69, 12, 1427-1437. doi: 10.1111/ijcp.12720.