Alternatives to Metformin

Metformin HCL

Ergot Alkaloids

One ergot alkaloid, bromocriptine (Cycloset^™) is approved for treating type 2 diabetes. Bromocriptine is actually an older medication that has been used for quite some time for other uses, although it was only recently approved for treating diabetes.

Bromocriptine works uniquely, compared to other diabetes medications. It works as a dopamine receptor agonist, which means that it binds to and stimulates dopamine receptors. It is thought that stimulating dopamine receptors in the brain at certain times of the day "resets" the biological clock and improves metabolism. It is thought that seasonal changes in the metabolism of wild animals are due to similar mechanisms.

Combination Medications

There are a variety of combination medications available, including:

Glipizide and metformin (Metaglip^®)
Glyburide and metformin (Glucovance^®)
Pioglitazone and glimepiride (Duetact^®)
Pioglitazone and metformin (Actoplus Met^®)
Repaglinide and metformin (PrandiMet^™)
Rosiglitazone and glimepiride (Avandaryl^®)
Rosiglitazone and metformin (Avandamet^®)
Sitagliptin and metformin (Janumet^®).

Insulin and Other Injectable Diabetes Medications

There are a variety of different types of insulin and other injectable medications for type 2 diabetes, including:

Insulin
Incretin mimetics
Amylin analogues.

Insulin

There are a variety of insulins available, including short-, rapid-, long-, or intermediate-acting insulins.

(Alternatives to Metformin Continued: Page 4)
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