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Deborah J. Clegg, Ph.D., Mary Beth Genter, Ph.D., and Howard G. Shertzer Researchers supported by NIEHS have added to a growing body of literature that shows that standard dosages of several over-the-counter analgesics may prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes. The researchers used laboratory mice fed a high fat diet which put them at risk for diabetic like conditions. They compared acetaminophen, naproxen, ibuprofen, and aspirin for their respective effects on protecting against the development of a pre-diabetic condition in these mice. After 10 weeks on the diet, the mice exhibited impaired glucose tolerance, a hall-mark of Type 2 diabetes. The animals were administered daily dosages of one of the four drugs during the experimental period. These dosages were in keeping with what humans routinely consume on a regular basis. Glucose tolerance was improved in the mice receiving acetaminophen and aspirin and to a lesser extent ibuprofen. Naproxen had no effect on glucose tolerance. Mice fed the high fat diet had increased body fat during the study. The over-the-counter drugs prevented this increase in part with acetaminophen and ibuprofen performing better than naproxen and aspirin. In liver mitochondria, the drugs inhibited succinate-dependent hydrogen peroxide production and lipid peroxidation. The researchers conclude from these findings that the over-the-counter analgesics diminished pro-oxidant processes that exacerbate inflammation and a pre-diabetic state. With the rise in obesity in the US comes increasing rates of Type 2 or noninsulin dependent diabetes. The common, readily available, and relatively inexpensive drugs tested in this study may represent valuable therapies to delay or prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes. Citation: Kendig EL, Schneider SN, Clegg DJ, Genter MB, Shertzer HG. Over-the-counter analgesics normalize blood glucose and body composition in mice fed a high fat diet. Biochem Pharmacol. 2008 Jul 15;76(2):216-24. |
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