Diabetes Medicines You Don’t Inject

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributor
Medically Reviewed by Jabeen Begum, MD on July 11, 2025
7 min read

When you think about diabetes drugs, you may think of insulin or other medications that you get from a shot or a pump. But there are others that you take as a pill or that you inhale.

Your doctor will consider exactly what you need, which may include more than one type of diabetes medicine. The goal is to help manage your diabetes. Here are some non-injectable diabetes medications:

Acarbose (Precose)

How it works: Blocks enzymes that help digest starches, slowing the rise in blood sugar. 

It belongs to a group of drugs called “alpha-glucosidase inhibitors.” Side effects for these kinds of drugs include stomach upset (gas, diarrhea, nausea, and cramps).

Alogliptin (Nesina)

How it works: Boosts insulin levels when blood sugars are too high, and tells the liver to cut back on making sugars.

Your doctor may call this type of drug a “DPP-IV inhibitor.” These drugs do not cause weight gain. You may take them alone or with another drug, such as metformin.

Bexagliflozin (Brenzavvy)

How it works: Helps lower blood glucose levels when they are too high and is specifically for use along with diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes.

It’s known as a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor.

Bromocriptine mesylate (Cycloset, Parlodel)

How it works: Raises the level of dopamine, a brain chemical.

It’s approved to help improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, along with diet and exercise. It’s not used to treat type 1 diabetes.

Canagliflozin (Invokana)

How it works: Boosts how much glucose leaves your body in urine, and blocks your kidneys from reabsorbing glucose.

Your doctor may call this type of drug an “SGLT2 inhibitor.” Side effects can include:

Chlorpropamide (Diabinese)

How it works: Lowers blood sugar by prompting the pancreas to release more insulin.

Your doctor may call this type of drug “sulfonylureas.” This drug is not used as often as newer sulfonylureas. Side effects of sulfonylureas include:

  • Low blood sugar
  • Upset stomach
  • Skin rash or itching
  • Weight gain

Colesevelam (Welchol)

How it works: Lowers “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and improves blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Your doctor will call this type of drug a “bile acid sequestrant.”

Dapagliflozin (Farxiga)

How it works: For use in adults with type 2 diabetes, it boosts how much glucose leaves your body in urine and blocks your kidneys from reabsorbing glucose.

It can also help reduce the occurrence of heart failure. Your doctor may call this type of drug an “SGLT2 inhibitor.” Side effects include serious infections of the penis or vagina.

Empagliflozin (Jardiance)

How it works: Boosts how much glucose leaves your body in urine, and blocks your kidney from reabsorbing glucose. Your doctor may call this type of drug an “SGLT2 inhibitor.” It also has been found to reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure as well as cardiovascular death in patients with heart failure in those with or without type 2 diabetes.

Glimepiride (Amaryl)

How it works: Lowers blood sugar by prompting the pancreas to release more insulin. Your doctor may call this type of drug “sulfonylureas.” Side effects of sulfonylureas include:

  • Low blood sugar
  • Upset stomach
  • Skin rash or itching
  • Weight gain

Glipizide (Glucotrol and Glucotrol XL)

How it works: Lowers blood sugar by prompting the pancreas to release more insulin. Your doctor may call this type of drug “sulfonylureas.” Side effects of sulfonylureas include:

  • Low blood sugar
  • Upset stomach
  • Skin rash or itching
  • Weight gain

Glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab)

How it works: Lowers blood sugar by prompting the pancreas to release more insulin. Your doctor may call this type of drug “sulfonylureas.” Side effects of sulfonylureas include:

  • Low blood sugar
  • Upset stomach
  • Skin rash or itching
  • Weight gain

Inhaled insulin (Afrezza)

How you take it: You put a cartridge, which contains a dose of this powdered, rapid-acting insulin, into an inhaler, and you use it before meals or soon after you start to eat.

How it works: The insulin quickly moves from lung cells into the bloodstream. It doesn’t replace long-acting insulin (which you can’t inhale). You should not use it if you have a long-term lung disease, such as asthma or COPD, or if you smoke. It’s not recommended for treating diabetic ketoacidosis.

Linagliptin (Tradjenta)

How it works: Boosts insulin levels when blood sugars are too high and tells the liver to cut back on making sugars. 

Your doctor may call this type of drug a “DPP-IV inhibitor.” These drugs do not cause weight gain. You may take them alone or with another drug, such as metformin.

Metformin (Fortamet, Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Glumetza, Riomet)

How it works: Improves insulin’s ability to move sugar into cells, especially muscle cells. It also prevents the liver from releasing stored sugar. You should not take it if you have kidney damage or heart failure. Your doctor may call this type of drug a “biguanide.” Side effects of biguanides include:

  • Upset stomach (nausea, diarrhea)
  • Metallic taste in the mouth

Miglitol (Glyset)

How it works: Blocks enzymes that help digest starches, slowing the rise in blood sugar. 

It belongs to a group of drugs your doctor may call “alpha-glucosidase inhibitors.” Side effects of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors include stomach upset (gas, diarrhea, nausea, cramps).

Nateglinide (Starlix)

How it works: Makes the pancreas release more insulin, but only if your blood sugar levels are too high.

Your doctor may call this type of drug a “meglitinide.” Side effects of meglitinides include:

  • Low blood sugar
  • Stomach upset

Pioglitazone (Actos)

How it works: Helps insulin work better in muscle and fat tissue. It lowers the amount of sugar the liver releases and makes fat cells more sensitive to insulin’s effects. It may take a few weeks for these drugs to lower blood sugar. 

Your doctor should talk with you about heart risks with this type of drug, which they may call “thiazolidinediones.” Side effects from this type of drug are rare but may include:

  • Higher-than-normal levels of liver enzymes
  • Liver failure
  • Respiratory infection
  • Headache
  • Fluid retention

Repaglinide (Prandin)

How it works: Makes the pancreas release more insulin, but only if your blood sugar levels are too high. Your doctor may call this type of drug a “meglitinide.” Side effects of this type of drug include:

  • Low blood sugar
  • Stomach upset

Rosiglitazone (Avandia)

How it works: Helps insulin work better in muscle and fat tissue. It lowers the amount of sugar the liver releases and makes fat cells more sensitive to insulin’s effects. It may take a few weeks for this kind of drug to lower blood sugar. 

Your doctor should talk with you about heart risks with this type of drug, which they may call “thiazolidinediones.” Side effects of thiazolidinediones are rare but may include:

  • Higher-than-normal levels of liver enzymes
  • Liver failure
  • Respiratory infection
  • Headache
  • Fluid retention

Saxagliptin (Onglyza)

How it works: Boosts insulin levels when blood sugars are too high and tells the liver to cut back on making sugars. 

Your doctor may call this type of drug a “DPP-IV inhibitor.” These drugs do not cause weight gain. You may take them alone or with another drug, such as metformin.

Sitagliptin (Januvia)

How it works: Boosts insulin levels when blood sugars are too high and tells the liver to cut back on making sugars.

Your doctor may call this type of drug a “DPP-IV inhibitor.” These drugs do not cause weight gain. You may take them alone or with another drug, such as metformin.

Tolazamide (Tolinase)

How it works: Lowers blood sugar by prompting the pancreas to release more insulin. 

Your doctor may call this type of drug “sulfonylureas.” This drug is not used as often as newer sulfonylureas. Side effects of this kind of drug include:

  • Low blood sugar
  • Upset stomach
  • Skin rash or itching
  • Weight gain

Tolbutamide (Orinase)

How it works: Lowers blood sugar by prompting the pancreas to release more insulin.

Your doctor may call this type of drug “sulfonylureas.” This drug is not used as often as newer sulfonylureas. Side effects of this kind of drug include:

  • Low blood sugar
  • Upset stomach
  • Skin rash or itching
  • Weight gain

Combination medicines

Several diabetes pills combine two medications into one tablet. They include:

With so many options, deciding which diabetes medication to take might be overwhelming. Consider your goals, needs, and preferences. It helps to ask yourself a few questions, such as:

Is my blood sugar stable? One medication is enough for some people, but others may need multiple meds to manage the condition.

Can I afford this medication? If you have health insurance, check with your carrier to see which drugs they cover and how much your copay will be. If you don’t have health insurance, check with the drug’s manufacturer to see if they offer financial aid programs. Keep in mind that newer diabetes medications typically cost more than older options.

Do I have heart or kidney disease? Certain diabetes medications are better than others for people with these conditions.

Can I tolerate potential side effects? Medications affect everyone differently. Weight gain, diarrhea, and nausea are some of the possible issues.

Discuss the answers with your doctor. Together, you’ll decide which medication to go for.

How do oral diabetes medications work?

Oral diabetes medications regulate your blood sugar in different ways. For example, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors stop starches and some forms of sugar from breaking down. Sulfonylureas cause your pancreas to release more insulin.

What is the new oral medication for diabetes?

Semaglutide (Rybelsus) is the newest oral medication for diabetes.

Which diabetes medicine is safe for the kidneys?

  • Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
  • Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs)
  • Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors
  • Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists
  • Nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (nsMRAs)
  • Statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors)