one of the group of drugs that reduce the level of glucose in the blood and are taken by mouth for the treatment of noninsulin-dependent (type 2) diabetes mellitus. They include the sulphonylurea group (e.g. chlorpropamide, glibenclamide, tolbutamide), metformin (a biguanide), alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, meglitinides, and thiazolidinediones.
Medical dictionary. 2011.