Licking diabetes with lizard spit?

[Angeline]

By Anita Manning, USA TODAY
ORLANDO — An experimental drug that suppresses the appetite and causes a reduction in high levels of sugar in the blood may be the next big thing in treatment for people with the most common form of diabetes, studies presented Sunday suggest.
The drug exenatide, a man-made version of a hormone found in the saliva of Gila monsters, reduced high blood sugar levels and led to weight loss in tests on more than 1,000 people whose type 2 diabetes was not being controlled by current drugs, researchers reported at a meeting here of the American Diabetes Association.

In two 30-week studies in which patients were given two different doses of the drug, those who got the highest dose had the greatest reduction in blood sugars and an average weight loss of 6.3 pounds. The benefits were sustained in patients who decided to continue taking the drug for a full year.

In a third study, exenatide improved the ability of cells in the pancreas to pump out insulin in response to the blast of sugar that enters the blood after meals, researchers said.

Given by injection at breakfast and dinner, the exenatide acts when blood sugars are too high but not when they're in the normal range, reducing the risk of a dangerous plunge in blood sugars called hypoglycemia.

Developed by Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly, exenatide is a synthetic version of a hormone in the saliva of Gila monsters, a lizard that eats only four times a year. When it eats, it secretes the hormone, similar to GLP-1 in humans, to activate insulin production in the pancreas.

Exenatide is the furthest along in development of several drugs that focus on GLP-1, an intestinal hormone that is released after a meal. The drug will be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration this summer and, if approved, could be available next year.

Novartis won't be seeking FDA approval for LAF237 until 2006.

[mcsblues]

Yes well I don't think i will be taking "lizard spit" any time soon! :)

Incidentally, diabetics already have a way of boosting insulin by injection ... they are called insulin shots!

You would think that one of these days these scientists might suddenly see this problem from the other point of view. Rather than boosting insulin (which raises all sorts of other health hazards) they could look for a way to keep blood sugar constantly lower, which would mean extra insulin was not required. You and I would call this process a sensible low carb diet. But I'm sure if they try hard enough these scientists could find a drug to do the same thing!

Cheers,

Malcolm

[Lisa N]

You would think that one of these days these scientists might suddenly see this problem from the other point of view. Rather than boosting insulin (which raises all sorts of other health hazards) they could look for a way to keep blood sugar constantly lower, which would mean extra insulin was not required

Malcolm, I think you're right. All the focus right now in treating diabetes is on "how can we get blood sugars down?" instead of "how can we prevent them from going up in the first place?"
When you suggest to a doctor that maybe choosing to eat in a manner that keeps your blood sugars from spiking all over the place might be a better option than medication (or more medications), they tend to look at you like you've just grown a second head or developed neon blue spots all over your body. :rolleyes:

But you know...I can see this being an attractive option for those that have no desire to change what and how they eat when they can take a pill or give themselves a shot instead. :p

[DebPenny]

I had my fasting bloodsugar tested just before I started low-carbing. When I went in for my results, I'd been low-carbing for a month or so. My test results said that my FBS was 138. My doctor started to try to talk about putting me on meds. I told her that I wanted to take care of it with diet. She said OK. I never had to take meds because low-carbing has lowered my bloodsugar levels to low/normal levels.

As far as I'm concerned, these scientists are so married to the drug companies they can't see the trees for the forest or is it vice versa. The solution is right in front of them and they refuse to see it. So we keep getting bigger and bigger and sicker and sicker. And it's all so unecessary.

[Marge]

Humm.. Something from a Lizard's mouth or watching what I put into my own mouth. Think I'll be watching what I eat. But hey if it helps someone, maybe...

[ItsTheWooo]

If it could do something for type 1 diabetics, then it is probably a very valuable medication (as type 1 is insulin deficiency, not so much insulin resistance... this med could work like an "artifical pancreas" for them).

If this is just yet another way of "controlling" outrageous sugars which are a complication of the really bad insulin resistance seen in type 2 diabetes, then it is another bandaid fix. Part of the problem is that a lot of insulin is needed in the first place, therefore part of the solution should include reducing the bodys need for it through diet.

[Dodger]

"In a third study, exenatide improved the ability of cells in the pancreas to pump out insulin in response to the blast of sugar that enters the blood after meals, researchers said."


Isn't pumping out those blasts of insulin in response to the blast of sugar one of the main reasons that the pancreas can 'burn out' in Type II diabetics? I'd be willing to bet that after a few years on this drug, the Type II diabetics will be using insulin as the pancreas will be crippled .