Nateglinide

Introduction

Written by Sarah Lewis, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Melissa Badowski, PharmD, MPH, FCCP
Updated on September 15, 2023

Nateglinide (na te GLYE nide) is a generic medication prescribed for type 2 diabetes. It’s approved for use in combination with diet and exercise. Nateglinide belongs to a group of diabetes drugs called meglitinides.

Common questions about nateglinide

Below you’ll find answers to a few commonly asked questions about nateglinide.

What brand names are available for nateglinide?

Nateglinide used to be available as the brand-name drug Starlix, but the brand-name drug is no longer available. Nateglinide oral tablet is only available as a generic drug.

A generic medication is an identical copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. (An active drug is the ingredient that makes a medication work.) Generic drugs are believed to be as effective and safe as brand-name drugs. And generic drugs typically cost less compared to brand-name drugs.

To find out more about this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

How does nateglinide work? And how long does it take to start working?

Nateglinide’s mechanism of action (how it works) is to stimulate the pancreas to make insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body use blood sugar for energy. A hormone is a chemical that carries messages to different parts of the body. When the pancreas makes more insulin, your blood sugar levels will go down.

Nateglinide will start working within about 20 minutes of taking it. It reaches its greatest effect within about an hour. Its effect will wear off over the course of about 4 hours.

If you’d like to know more about this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Is nateglinide similar to metformin?

Yes, nateglinide is similar to metformin because they both treat type 2 diabetes. But they belong to different groups of diabetes drugs. Because of this, the way they work and their side effects and warnings will be different.

Because they work differently, doctors sometimes prescribe them together. Taking them together can result in better blood sugar management for some people. 

You can learn more about how these two drugs compare by talking with your doctor or pharmacist.

Side effects of nateglinide

Nateglinide may cause mild or serious side effects. More common mild side effects of nateglinide and its serious side effects are listed below. This article doesn’t include all possible side effects of the drug. Side effects can vary based on your age, overall health, and any other medications you take.

To learn more about nateglinide’s side effects, see this article or ask your doctor or pharmacist. You can also refer to the prescribing information for nateglinide listed in the “Resources” section.

Mild side effects

More common mild side effects reported with nateglinide are listed below.

This article doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of the drug. To learn more about nateglinide’s side effects, refer to the prescribing information for nateglinide listed in the “Resources” section.

With many drugs, mild side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If the side effects are bothersome, tell your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest ways to manage them.

Nateglinide oral tablet’s mild side effects include:

• diarrhea
• dizziness
• mild low blood sugar
• mild allergic reaction*

* For details about this side effect, see the “Interactions and warnings for nateglinide” section.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects of nateglinide are listed below.

This article doesn’t include all possible serious side effects of the drug. To learn more about nateglinide’s side effects, refer to the prescribing information for nateglinide listed in the “Resources” section.

With many drugs, serious side effects are possible but not common. If you have serious side effects from this drug, call your doctor right away. If you’re having severe symptoms or a medical emergency, call 911 or a local emergency number.

In general, nateglinide’s serious side effects include:

• severe low blood sugar, which can be life threatening
• severe allergic reaction*

* For details about this side effect, see the “Interactions and warnings for nateglinide” section.

Uses of nateglinide

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as nateglinide for certain conditions. Approved uses for nateglinide are described below.

Use for type 2 diabetes

Doctors may prescribe nateglinide oral tablet for treating type 2 diabetes, along with diet and exercise. It’s used for this purpose in adults. It’s usually prescribed as a long-term treatment.

With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin or it doesn’t respond to insulin the way it should. Insulin is a hormone (a chemical that carries messages to different parts of the body) that helps the body use blood sugar for energy. Without enough of it, your blood sugar levels will get too high. Your blood sugar can also be high if your body isn’t responding to insulin.

Over time, high blood sugar levels cause damage to organs and tissues. This includes the eyes, heart, kidneys, and nerves. Lowering blood sugar levels to the target range is the best way to prevent this damage. For type 2 diabetes, medications are one way to do this.

Nateglinide can be prescribed together with other medications to treat type 2 diabetes.

Interactions and warnings for nateglinide

Below you’ll find information about nateglinide’s possible interactions and warnings.

Interactions of nateglinide

Certain things may affect how a drug works. These include getting vaccines, consuming alcohol or certain foods, or taking the drug with other medications. This effect is called a drug interaction.

Before you take nateglinide, ask your doctor to check for possible interactions. Be sure to tell them about any of the following you take or use:

• prescription or over-the-counter drugs
• vitamins, herbs, or supplements

To learn about drug-condition interactions, see the “Warnings for nateglinide” section below.

Warnings for nateglinide

Some people should not take nateglinide, and others should take it cautiously.

Nateglinide could cause harm to people with certain health conditions. This effect is called a drug-condition interaction. Other factors can also affect whether nateglinide is a safe option for you.

Ask your doctor about specific warnings for nateglinide, and be sure to tell your doctor about your:

• current health, including any allergies to medications
• past health conditions or surgeries

Allergic reaction

Nateglinide can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Severe allergic reactions are rare but possible.

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to nateglinide or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe nateglinide. They can tell you about medications that are safer options for you.

A mild allergic reaction may cause the following symptoms:

• skin rash
• itchiness
• flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)

A severe allergic reaction may cause the following symptoms:

• swelling under your skin, usually in your hands, feet, eyelids, or lips
• swelling of your mouth, throat, or tongue, which can cause breathing problems

If you have an allergic reaction to nateglinide, call your doctor right away. If you have severe symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number.

Overdose of nateglinide

You should not take more nateglinide than your doctor prescribes. For some drugs, doing so may lead to harmful effects or overdose.

If you think you’ve taken too much nateglinide, call your doctor or pharmacist right away. Or you could call 800-222-1222 to speak with someone at America’s Poison Centers. You can also use its online resource. If you have concerning symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number immediately. You can also go to the closest emergency room.

Pregnancy or breastfeeding and nateglinide

Information about nateglinide and pregnancy and breastfeeding is described below.

Nateglinide and pregnancy

It’s not known whether nateglinide should be taken during pregnancy. If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.

Nateglinide and breastfeeding

Nateglinide should not be taken while breastfeeding. If you’re currently breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before taking this medication. Your doctor may recommend other ways to feed your child during treatment with nateglinide.

What to ask your doctor

Let your doctor know if you have questions about nateglinide or would like more details about it.

Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:

• What is the most important information I should know about nateglinide?
• How should I take nateglinide?
• What should I do if I miss a meal?
• How often should I check my blood sugar levels?

Resources

• Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm
• Nateglinide tablets, for oral use. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/a7e9f62e-32f8-4a89-8588-74d029c8f6a2/spl-doc

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.