Drug News
Garlic chemical treats type 1 and type 2 diabetes
By Jimmy Downs
Nov 24, 2008 - 1:25:18 PM

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Monday Nov 24, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- A drug vanadium-allixin compound when administered orally lowers blood glucose levels in diabetic mice, according to a new study in the Jan 2009 issue of the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Metallomics.

Hiromu Sakurai and colleagues from the Suzuka University of Medical Science, Japan found allixin found the drug based on vanadium and allixin, a compound found in garlic, when given orally to type I diabetic mice reduced blood glucose levels.

In previous studies, the researchers have discovered the vanadium-allixin compound treated both type 1 and type 2 diabetes when injected, but this new study shows oral treatment with this drug is also promising.

Type 1 diabetes (insulin dependent) requires daily injections of insulin and type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent) is treated with drugs, but none of which is ideal, according to the researchers.

Human trials are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of this drug.