Objective To investigate the clinical effect of acarbose combined with metformin in the treatment of diabe-tes.Methods A total of one hundred and twenty diabetic patients admitted to Danyang People's Hospital from January 2021 to June 2023 were selected as the study objects and divided into two groups by random number table method.Control group(n=60)was treated with metformin,observation group(n=60)was treated with acarbose on the basis of control group.Blood glucose index,islet function and drug safety were compared between the two groups.Results Af-ter treatment,the levels of fasting plasma glucose,2 h postprandial plasma glucose,glycosylated hemoglobin A1c in the observation group were lower than those of control group,the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Fasting insulin(7.70±1.28)mU/L and insulin resistance index 2.46±0.72 in observation group were lower than those in control group(9.82±1.45)mU/L and 3.25±0.86,the differences were statistically significant(t=8.490,5.456,both P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the total incidence of adverse reaction between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion In the treatment of diabetes mellitus,the addition of acarbose on the basis of metformin can obtain better results,can improve blood glucose and insulin function,and the drug safety is high.