Health Newsfeed # 1367
DIABETES DRUG MAY FIGHT FATTY LIVER, TOO
Fatty liver is just what is sounds like, an unhealthy accumulation of fat in the liver that can
eventually result in chronic liver disease. There’s no drug treatment for it, but that may have
changed.
Fatty liver is often associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. And it’s a drug for diabetes
called metformin that just may carry the added benefit of fighting against fatty liver as well.
Metformin sensitizes the body to the effects of insulin, making it more effective. In recent
tests on obese, insulin-resistant mice who had fatty livers, Johns Hopkins researchers found
that metformin didn’t just alleviate the problem, it cured it. Dr. Anna Mae Diehl was the
study’s principal investigator.
These mice tolerated this drug very well, even though they had very severe fatty liver disease
to start with. So, this was a drug that’s already available, that has a good efficacy, and I don’t
think it’s ever really been carefully evaluated for it’s effects on fatty liver disease. And at least
in this animal model, it looks quite effective. :17
Dr. Diehl hopes to begin clinical trials with humans before long.
At the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, I'm Tom Haederle reporting.
Copyright 2000 The Johns Hopkins University. All rights reserved.
