How Does Sitagliptin Work?
Sitagliptin is part of a class of diabetes medications called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. DPP-4 is an enzyme that breaks down incretin hormones. As a DPP-4 inhibitor, sitagliptin slows down the breakdown of incretin hormones, increasing the level of these hormones in the body. It is this increase that is responsible for the beneficial actions of sitagliptin, including increasing insulin production in response to meals and decreasing the amount of glucose (sugar) that the liver produces.
