Type 2 Diabetes Reversed In Rats By Yale Researchers

INQUISITR.COM / Health
By Kristine Croto
Published on: 2015-03-03T12:06:01

While there have been medical and lifestyle treatments that help deal with the symptoms of type 2 diabetes for several years, science has continued to struggle with repairing the root cause of the disease. In February, researchers at Yale announced that their work with a World War I era weight loss drug had yielded promising results in rats. In short, they had been able to reverse both type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease.

Scientists achieved these results by using a modified version of a chemical called DNP. It was used in France at the beginning of the 20th century to manufacture explosives, and the Russian Army used it to help troops keep warm. It was then discontinued because of excessive weight loss. The NHS further explained the chemical.

“In the 1930s, it was sold as a wonder weight loss drug. However, it was quickly withdrawn, because it was highly toxic, causing side effects and, in some cases, death.”

“DNP was also linked to deaths in 2013, after a resurgence among bodybuilders. This lead to the Food Standards Agency issuing a public warning about the risks of DNP, saying that: ‘DNP is an industrial chemical that is extremely dangerous to human health.'”

According to the International Business Times, researchers modified DNP, currently sold mostly as a pesticide, to create CRMP, or controlled-release mitochondrial protonophore. They were attempting to harness the metabolic benefits of DNP—improvements in glucose tolerance, insulin levels, and fat burning—while avoiding the toxic side effects.

Again, this research on type 2 diabetes was conducted in rats, so further research is needed to determine if CRMP will be safe in humans, and if it will have the same benefits, according to YaleNews.

“Given these promising results in animal models of NAFLD/NASH and type 2 diabetes we are pursuing additional preclinical safety studies to take this mitochondrial protonophore approach to the clinic.”

Meaning, they are pursuing the necessary guidelines in order to see if their research also works for humans. It can take a great deal of time to get FDA trials approved in humans, so this research may not be available for some time.

And in the meantime, Richard Elliot, communications director at Diabetes UK continues to encourage people with type 2 diabetes (and, really everyone else, too) to eat healthy, well balanced meals, exercise, and follow the medical plan they’ve created with their health care provider.

[Image from YaleNews]