A NEW TREATMENT FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES COULD BE IN THE WORKS

It’s a well-known disease here in America.  As many as 29 million Americans, and 8.1 that may be undiagnosed, suffer from type 2 diabetes.  There has long been a push by doctors to find new treatments or aides in fighting the disease, and last week, doctors found a preexisting medicine that could aide in the production of insulin in type 2 diabetes patients.

HELP IN AN UNLIKELY PLACE

Last week, German researchers at Heinrich Heine University released a paper in the journal Nature Medicine stating that dextromethorphan (DM,) an ingredient commonly found in cough syrup, was found to increase insulin production in mice.  DM is found in many over the counter cough syrups, like Bisolvon, Robitussin, and Benadryl, and usually works on neural receptors in the brain.  But, when the doctors administered a dose of the chemical to lab mice, they found that it also affected the pancreas, where the body’s insulin is produced.  “These agents might help release insulin, which is the major defect in diabetes,” said Dr. Lesley Campbell.

DON’T GET TOO EXCITED

This new finding, however, doesn’t mean that diabetes patients should be going into their medicine cabinets and start slamming down cough syrup.  The tests were preliminary, and only verified once.  “To date, we only have results from a single-dose clinical trial, which makes us optimistic, but (this) is not sufficient to evaluate the clinical benefit of this drug for the long–term treatment of people with diabetes,” said senior author of the paper Eckhard Lammert.  Not only that, but taking high doses of DM can result in drowsiness and hallucinations.  It may take some time to refine the medicine and the results, but this find is certainly making some sufferers of diabetes hopeful.

 

Diabetes is a serious condition, and should be monitored carefully.  With proper diet and exercise, type 2 diabetes can be controlled, and in rare cases, reversed.  But here at Pierre Physician Group, we want more than that.  Preventive care is our specialty, and if there is a way that we can help you nip a condition in the bud before it reveals itself, then we want to make it happen.  If you have a family history of diabetes or are at risk for contracting the condition, click the button below to set up an appointment with us today, and we’ll help you get on the right track for a healthy lifestyle.

Sources:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2015/mar/cough-medicine-ingredient-investigated-as-type-2-diabetes-treatment-92050908.html

http://www.medicaldaily.com/cough-medicine-diabetes-treatment-dextromethorphan-found-increase-insulin-release-326352

http://www.oncologynurseadvisor.com/diabetes-cough-medicine-ingredient-syrup-treatment/article/404374/

http://www.healthline.com/health/type-2-diabetes/statistics

http://www.9news.com.au/health/2015/03/17/17/20/ingredients-in-cough-medicine-could-help-with-type-2-diabetes

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