Diabetes Drugs Can Deplete Pancreas

A popular drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes raises the possibility of potential side effects such as low levels of pancreatic disorders for some patients. But when the drug was often consumed for a long time, the user at risk of pancreatic cancer.

Thus the results of the research team from the University of California (UCLA), United States, as published on pages ScienceDaily, May 1, 2009. According to the research team, a diabetes drug in question is sitagliptin, sold in pill form as Januvia, marketed by Merck & Co.. Inc.

Drugs that cause interference in the pancreas. In addition, one of the important organs in the body's digestive system can become inflamed. For the longer term, the most severe effects of pancreatic cancer is a disease.

Sitagliptin is a member of a new class of drugs that can improve the performance of the gut hormone known as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). The hormone was shown to be effective in lowering blood sugar levels for people with Type 2 diabetes.

"Type 2 Diabetes is a lifelong disease. The patient was taking the same drugs for many years, it is feared may cause side effects with the advent of the risk of pancreatic cancer," said dr. Peter Butler, director of the Hillblom Center and concurrently chairman of the research team.
"The problem now is the effects of the drug was not desirable for the pancreas could not be detected by humans unless the pancreas are removed from the body and examined," continued Butler.

Researchers are also studying the link between Byetta - a drug that is also used for Type 2 diabetes associated with Hanuvia - and inflammation of the pancreas. Therefore, Oversight Office at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter to Amylin Corp., which manufactures Byetta, although no definite results about the drug's association with pancreatic disorders.

To be sure, a team from UCLA considers that there may be a link between drugs that enhance the action of GLP-1 by inflammation of the pancreas.

However, Butler admitted his team had applied to the rat experiments. Thus, there may be effects that are found in mice does not occur in humans. "So, while waiting for other data, it would be nice if the temporary is sufficient to use GLP-1 class of drugs with metformin," said Butler..p