Emiglitate is a selective and competitive α-glucoside hydrolase inhibitor.

Emiglitate inhibits the glucose-stimulated insulin release in parallel. It also has an inhibitory effect on the activities of acid glucan-1,4-α-glucosidase and acid α-glucosidase. The CO-induced amplification of the glucose-stimulated insulin release as well as of the increased activities of the acid α-glucoside hydrolases are abrogated by emiglitate. Which showed the same levels as in the absence of CO. The CO-induced rise in the activities of acid phosphatase and acid N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase is not appreciably affected by emiglitate. The activities of acid phosphatase and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase tend to increase in the presence of the α-glucoside hydrolase inhibitor [1].

Emiglitate in the amount of 5 mg/kg b.wt. does not induce significant changes either of glycogen concentrations or at the EM-level. Emiglitate causes a significant, dose-dependent increase of hepatic glycogen concentrations, in fasted rats. The increase in hepatic glycogen is due to lysosomal storage of glycogen only [2].