Changes in plasma lipoprotein levels during medication with a glucoside-hydrolase inhibitor (acarbose).

Acarbose was administered at a dose of 300 mg/day fbr S weeks to nine healthy volunteers (Table 1). Volunteers were doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians in Keio University Hospital. All were requested not to change their dietary habits and not to drink much alcohol. Blood was collected serially after 12 hours of fasting. Very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) was separated ultracentrifugally by the method of Havel et aL (5). High density lipoprotein (HDL) was separated by the heparin-manganese precipitation method (16). Cholesterol and triglyceride were measured with an autoanalyser and an acetylacetone