# Glimepiride in Nigeria

Glimepiride has 22 active NAFDAC registrations in our October 2026 copy of the register, from 11 registration holders; 31 further listings have lapsed.

- Source: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/glimepiride/
- Drug class: Second-generation sulfonylurea (Diabetes)
- Also known as: Amaryl, Mepiryl, Getryl
- Prescription required: yes
- Last updated: August 2026

## Price in Nigeria

As of October 2026, the only glimepiride our sampled online pharmacies (HealthPlus and MedPlus) list is Amaryl, at about ₦29,680. That is Amaryl's price, not the molecule's: 16 glimepiride brands are NAFDAC-registered and generic versions usually cost less, so ask a licensed pharmacy for a generic by name and check its NAFDAC number before you pay.

## What is Glimepiride?

Glimepiride is a sulfonylurea — a tablet that lowers blood sugar by prompting the pancreas to release more insulin. It is the newest of the sulfonylureas in common use, and the practical differences from the older glibenclamide matter: it is taken once daily, it is cleared partly by the liver rather than only the kidneys, and it causes fewer episodes of dangerously low blood sugar. For a country where glibenclamide has been the default second drug for decades, that last point is the important one.

Nigeria's supply of glimepiride is well established. Our copy of the NAFDAC register shows twenty-two active registrations from eleven companies — sixteen of them glimepiride on its own and six fixed combinations with metformin in a single tablet. The field is led by May & Baker's Mepiryl and Co-Mepiryl, made in Nigeria, alongside Getz Pharma's Getryl and a number of Indian-made generics.

Glimepiride sits at a specific point in type 2 diabetes treatment: after metformin, when one drug is no longer holding blood sugar down, and usually before insulin. It is far cheaper than the newer classes — the SGLT2 tablets, the DPP-4 inhibitors, the GLP-1 injections — which is why it remains a mainstay in Nigerian practice regardless of what international guidelines now prefer.

## What is Glimepiride used for?

- Type 2 diabetes, added to metformin when blood sugar remains above target
- Type 2 diabetes as the first tablet where metformin is not tolerated or is contraindicated
- As a fixed combination with metformin, reducing the number of tablets taken
- Not for type 1 diabetes — there is no insulin-producing capacity left for it to stimulate
- Not for diabetic ketoacidosis, which is an emergency needing insulin

## Dosage

Always follow a doctor's or pharmacist's instructions; this is general reference information.

- Adults: Treatment starts low, usually at 1mg once daily with or immediately before breakfast, and is increased in 1mg steps at one- to two-week intervals according to blood sugar readings. Most people settle between 1mg and 4mg daily; going above that rarely adds much. It is taken once a day, always with the first main meal — and this is the part that matters most in practice: taking glimepiride and then skipping the meal is the classic way to end up with a hypo.
- Children: Glimepiride is not established for use in children. Diabetes in a child is usually type 1 and needs insulin and specialist care.
- Elderly: Older adults are at markedly higher risk of low blood sugar on any sulfonylurea, and less able to recognise it. Treatment starts at the lowest dose and increases slowly, and in frail or irregularly eating older people a sulfonylurea may be the wrong choice altogether.

KNOW WHAT A HYPO FEELS LIKE AND CARRY SUGAR. Low blood sugar comes on as sweating, shaking, hunger, a pounding heart, confusion or sudden irritability, and it is treated immediately with glucose, sweets or a sugary drink — not with food that takes time to digest. The risks rise when meals are skipped, during fasting, after unusual exercise and with alcohol. Ramadan fasting in particular needs the dose reviewed with a doctor BEFORE the month starts, not after the first difficult day.

## Side effects

Common: Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) — the main one, and the reason for the meal rule; Weight gain; Nausea and stomach upset; Headache and dizziness; Rash.

Serious (seek medical help immediately): Severe or prolonged hypoglycaemia, which can cause seizures, coma and lasting harm; Severe allergic reactions, including rare serious skin reactions; Low blood counts — uncommon; Liver enzyme disturbance and, rarely, jaundice; Low blood sodium.

When to see a doctor: Treat a hypo immediately with sugar, and seek urgent help if the person is confused, drowsy or cannot swallow — that is an emergency. See a doctor if hypos happen more than occasionally, since the dose is probably wrong. Report yellowing of the eyes or skin, an unexplained spreading rash, or dark urine. Anyone planning to fast, travel across time zones, or start significant exercise should have the dose reviewed first.

## Warnings

Do not take if: Type 1 diabetes; Diabetic ketoacidosis; Severe kidney or liver impairment; Known hypersensitivity to glimepiride, other sulfonylureas or sulfonamides; Pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Interactions: Alcohol — increases and prolongs the risk of hypoglycaemia, and can mask the warning signs; Other diabetes medicines, including insulin — additive glucose-lowering; doses need coordinating; Beta-blockers such as atenolol — these mask the warning symptoms of a hypo, which is the dangerous part; Fluconazole, co-trimoxazole and clarithromycin — raise glimepiride levels and hypo risk; Corticosteroids such as prednisolone, and diuretics — push blood sugar up, often unexpectedly; NSAIDs and warfarin — increased effect of glimepiride.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Glimepiride is not used in pregnancy. Blood sugar control in pregnancy matters enormously and is managed with insulin, or in some cases metformin, under specialist care — sulfonylureas are switched away from before conception where possible. Tell your doctor if you are planning a pregnancy. It is also avoided while breastfeeding.

## Brands in Nigeria

Well-known NAFDAC-registered brands: Mepiryl 2 mg Tablet (May & Baker Nigeria PLC, made in Nigeria); Mepiryl 4 mg Tablet (May & Baker Nigeria PLC, made in Nigeria); Co-Mepiryl Tablet 2 mg/500 mg (May & Baker Nigeria PLC, made in Nigeria); Getryl 2 mg Tablets (Getz Pharma Nigeria Limited, made in Pakistan); Betix 2 mg (Takki Healthcare Limited, made in India).
Full searchable brand list: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/glimepiride/brands/

## How to verify it is genuine

1. Check the NAFDAC number on the pack — Mepiryl 2mg carries 04-9605 and Mepiryl 4mg carries 04-9439 in our copy of the register.
2. Other registered products include Co-Mepiryl 2mg/500mg (A4-2825), Getryl 2mg (A4-6223) and Betix 2mg (B4-7578).
3. Confirm any brand with our NAFDAC checker before paying.
4. Check the strength carefully. Glimepiride comes in 1mg, 2mg, 3mg and 4mg tablets that look similar, and taking 4mg when you were prescribed 1mg is a hypoglycaemia risk, not a minor slip.
5. Note whether your pack is glimepiride alone or a combination with metformin — the combination packs carry two figures such as 2mg/500mg.

Verify any NAFDAC number free (no login): https://ogbogwu.com/nafdac-checker/

## FAQs

### Is glimepiride better than glibenclamide?

In most respects yes, and the difference is safety rather than sugar control. Glibenclamide is long-acting, cleared mainly by the kidneys, and causes more episodes of dangerously low blood sugar — particularly in older people and in anyone with reduced kidney function, which is common in long-standing diabetes. Glimepiride is once daily, partly cleared by the liver, and produces fewer severe hypos. Glibenclamide is cheaper and still widely used in Nigeria, but if you are older, eat irregularly, or have had a hypo, that is a conversation worth having with your doctor.

### Can I take glimepiride with metformin?

Yes, and it is one of the most common combinations in type 2 diabetes — the two work in completely different ways, metformin reducing the liver's glucose output and improving insulin sensitivity, glimepiride prompting more insulin release. They are often prescribed together, and several registered products in Nigeria combine both in a single tablet, such as May & Baker's Co-Mepiryl. Combining them does raise the chance of low blood sugar compared with metformin alone, so the meal rule matters more.

### What happens if I take glimepiride and skip a meal?

Your blood sugar can fall dangerously low. Glimepiride pushes the pancreas to release insulin whether or not you have eaten, so the tablet without the meal is the single most common cause of hypoglycaemia on this drug. Take it with or immediately before your first main meal, and if a meal is going to be missed or delayed, discuss with your doctor or pharmacist whether to skip the dose. Always carry glucose tablets, sweets or a sugary drink.

### Can I take glimepiride while fasting during Ramadan?

Many people do, but the dose usually needs changing and the change should be planned before the month begins rather than improvised. Typically the dose is moved to the evening meal and often reduced, and blood sugar is monitored more closely — checking glucose does not break the fast. Sulfonylureas carry a higher hypo risk during fasting than metformin or the newer classes, so this is exactly the situation where a doctor's review pays. If you feel a hypo coming, break the fast and treat it: that is permitted and it is the right thing to do.

### How much is glimepiride in Nigeria?

It is one of the more affordable diabetes options, particularly compared with the newer classes — the SGLT2 tablets, DPP-4 inhibitors and GLP-1 injections cost many times more. With around eleven companies holding active registrations including local manufacture by May & Baker, supply is reasonably reliable. Check the price section of this page for current sampled figures, and ask about the metformin combination if you are taking both, since one tablet is often cheaper than two.

### Does glimepiride cause weight gain?

It can, and this is a genuine drawback of the sulfonylurea class — extra insulin release promotes fat storage, and people often gain a few kilograms. That matters in type 2 diabetes, where weight is part of the problem. Metformin is weight-neutral and the newer SGLT2 and GLP-1 classes cause weight loss, which is why guidelines elsewhere have moved toward them. In Nigeria the honest trade-off is cost: glimepiride is affordable and effective, and the weight effect is manageable with attention to food and activity.

## Sources

- NAFDAC Greenbook (official register of approved products in Nigeria)
- British National Formulary (BNF)
- Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health)