Arthritis Drug May Help Prevent Diabetes

Salsalate, an inexpensive anti-inflammatory drug similar to aspirin, may prevent type 2 diabetes, researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston say.

The study, published in the February issue of Diabetes Care, says the double-masked, placebo-controlled study of 20 obese young adults found that salsalate substantially reduced blood glucose levels as well as inflammation, and, as a result, may cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Study leader Dr. Allison B. Goldfine of Joslin and the Harvard Medical School, said that it has long been known that high doses of aspirin could reduce blood glucose levels, but the risk of stomach bleeding is too high to allow for this treatment. It has also been known that inflammatory markers and proteins are elevated in people with diabetes and that aspirin can reduce inflammation.

This is exciting because salsalate has a good safety profile after many years of use, is inexpensive to make and appears to have the potential to lower blood glucose, Goldfine said in a statement. It may be useful in preventing diabetes.

Goldfine said salsalate, a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory medication similar to aspirin but without the bleeding risk — has been used for decades to treat arthritis.