Thiazolidinediones

• Thiazolidinediones help make insulin work better within the muscles and fat. They also reduce the glucose production throughout the liver. Avandia and Actos are both thiazolidinedione drugs.
  
  

Biguanides

• Glucophage is a biguanide. It lowers blood glucose levels by decreasing the total glucose that is produced by the liver.
  
  

Sulfonylureas and Meglitinides

• Both sulfonylureas and meglitinides stimulate beta cells in the pancreas, releasing more insulin. Diabinese, Glucotrol, Micronase, Glynase, Diabeta and Amaryl are all sulfonylureas drugs. Prandin and Starlix are meglitinides.
  
  

DPP-4 and Alpha-glucosidase Inhibitors

• DDP-4 inhibitors help with the breakdown of GLP-1, a compound in the body, and help lower glucose levels with more stability. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors actually lower glucose levels by acting as a block in the breakdown of starches and sugars. Januvia is a DPP-4, and Precose and Glyset are alpha-glucosidase inhibitors.
  
  

Incretin Mimetics

• Incretin Mimetics is a new class of drugs for Type 2 diabetics. Byetta is the first of these drugs, and is a synthetic of the hormone exendin-4, which lowers blood sugar by increasing insulin.