FUNGUS MAY HOLD KEY TO DIABETES PILL

by Denise Mann

NEW YORK, May 6 (Copyright Reuters Limited 1999; reprinted with permission)--Scientists have found a promising, oral alternative to insulin injections for insulin-dependent diabetics.

Researchers led by Dr. Bei Zhang, a senior research fellow at Merck Research Laboratory in Rahway, New Jersey, report that a compound derived from a fungus found on leaves from the African Congo can mimic the effects of insulin. Similar to insulin, this compound, called L-783,281, interacts with certain cell receptors and helps them to store and use blood sugar (glucose).

But unlike insulin, the compound can be taken orally, suggesting that pills containing L-783,281 may one day be an effective treatment for diabetes.

People with diabetes do not produce insulin or are resistant to its effects. Insulin is needed to regulate blood glucose levels.

"We are really working very hard to come up with new (diabetes drugs) that are different from the ones that are currently available," Zhang told Reuters Health. "It's too early to project when, and even if, this medication will become available," she added. The compound is being developed by Merck.

"The optimal goal is to come up with a novel therapy to replace insulin or work in conjunction with insulin and other anti-diabetic drugs," she said.

To arrive at their findings, Zhang and colleagues analyzed more than 50,000 compounds to determine if any mimic the activities of insulin. They found that L-783,281 had similar effects to insulin, a discovery that may lead to a new diabetes pill down the road. As reported in the May issue of "Science," the researchers tested the compound in test tubes as well as mice with diabetes symptoms. In the mice studied, the compound "resulted in significant lowering in blood glucose levels."

The next step, Zhang adds, is to tweak the compound and try to maximize its effectiveness while keeping it safe.

Insulin cannot be taken as a pill because it would be broken down during digestion, according to the American Diabetes Association. People with type 1 or insulin dependent diabetes must take daily shots of insulin, while people with type 2 or adult-onset diabetes may need drugs that help their bodies use insulin.

SOURCE: "Science" 1999;284:974-977.