Abstract
Incretins are hormones secernated by enteric cells after prandial stimulation. The main mechanisms, which impact glucose homeostasis, are affected by secretion of insulin dependent on glycaemia, postprandial suppression of glucagon secretion and effect on stomach evacuation.
Clinically most important is glucagon-like peptide 1. It has a very short half-life of action (2-7 minutes), is subject to ubiquitarian degradation by the present enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV).
Therapeutically the potential of incretins is used either in the form of incretin mimetics (exenatide, has the same effect, but is resistant to enzymatic degradation, administered by injection), or inhibition of DPP IV (gliptins, ultimately increasing the level of endogenous GLP 1).