[Incretin mimetics and incretin enhancers for the treatment of type 2 diabetes].

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a gut hormone secreted in response to a meal ingestion, which is rapidly degraded by a specific enzyme, dipeptidylpeptidase-4 (DPP-4). It enhances insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner, inhibits glucagon secretion, retards gastric emptying,... Two pharmacological approaches have been developed to increase the abnormally low GLP-1 levels in type 2 diabetic patients: either to subcutaneously inject an agent closed to GLP-1 (exenatide), which is partially resistant to the action of DPP-4, either to orally administer a selective DPP-4 inhibitor (sitagliptin,...). These new drugs offer improved blood glucose control of type 2 diabetic patients, without inducing hypoglycaemia and with favourable effects on body weight.