This is a continuation from my last post, Clues That Inflammation Is At The Heart Of Type 2 Diabetes, Part 1.Last year, Joslin researchers reported that the inexpensive, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) salsalate reduced blood glucose in overweight adults:
Salsalate Improves Glycemia And Inflammatory Parameters In Obese Young Adults, Diabetes Care, February 2008
- Fasting glucose was reduced by 13%
- Response to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT AUC) was reduced by 20%
- Glycated albumin was reduced 17%
- Adiponectin* increased 57%
- C-reactive protein** was reduced by 34%
** C-reactive protein is a marker for inflammation
They concluded:
"These data support the hypothesis that subacute-chronic inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of obesity-related dysglycemia and that targeting inflammation may provide a therapeutic route for diabetes prevention."
Later in 2008, Joslin researchers reported similar findings; the anti-inflammatory drug salsalate again showed benefits for blood glucose control:
Use Of Salsalate To Target Inflammation In The Treatment Of Insulin Resistance And Type 2 Diabetes Clinical and Translational Science, Clinical and Translational Science, May 2008
Results of the three, small, proof-of-concept trials in this study included:
- Reduced fasting* and post-meal glucose
- Reduced circulating free fatty acids
- Increased levels of adiponectin
- Reduction in inflammation markers
* "Fasting glucose levels fell by approximately 1.1 mmol/L (20 mg/dl) in both 4.5 and 3.0 g/d cohorts [of salsalate]."The above is noteworthy, since the 4.5 g/d salsalate group had prestudy fasting glucose near normal levels (6.2 mmol/L = 112 mg/dl), and as the authors state, "it is more difficult to improve glycemia within the near-normal range than when glucoses are less well controlled."
Indeed, these participants started with a fasting glucose of 112 mg/dl, and after 2 weeks, without weight loss, had a fasting glucose of 91 mg/dl ... merely by taking several grams/day of a generic, inexpensive NSAID.
Note: Salsalate is a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug similar to aspirin and available without a prescription. One way it differs from aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, is that it is not acetylated. As such, it does not inhibit cyclooxygenase enzymes, Cox 1 and Cox 2, it does not inhibit platelets, and is not associated with internal bleeding. It can however result in hearing difficulties and tinnitus ("ringing in the ears") when taken in amounts of several grams/day, such as those used in this study.
