There are more than 400 million people with diabetes in the world. According to the National Nutrition and Health Status Change Survey of the National Health Service, the prevalence of diabetes in Taiwanese people over the age of 18 is 11.5, and the prevalence in women is 10.3. There are about more than 2 million people in Taiwan. Diabetes patients, and the number continues to increase at a rate of 25,000 every year. Diabetes is characterized by the degeneration of insulin-secreting B cells, so scientists have been hoping to reverse the decline and death of pancreatic B cells in diabetic patients.
The pancreatic beta cells of diabetic patients are damaged
The function of insulin is to help the body regulate the concentration of glucose in the blood and help glucose enter the cells of the body to produce energy. The normal adult pancreas has about 2 million islets, which contain many beta cells that secrete insulin. If these islet beta cells are damaged, insufficient insulin secretion will occur.
Multiple studies have confirmed that abnormal function of pancreatic beta cells will cause abnormal sugar metabolism in originally healthy people, and will cause people with abnormal sugar metabolism to develop type 2 diabetes, and will also cause the condition of type 2 diabetic patients to gradually worsen. key factors. Therefore, many scientists are looking for ways to protect and restore pancreatic beta cell function to delay and prevent the problems of type 2 diabetes.
Protect pancreatic islet beta cells? Reverse diabetes
Academia Sinica uses mouse animal models to develop compounds that can protect pancreatic islet beta cells, hoping to increase beta Cell production and reduction of beta cell failure are two mechanisms to reverse the problem of diabetes. The research team found that compounds made from the traditional Chinese medicine Xianfengcao polyacetylene can reduce beta cell failure.
When the degree of pancreatic β-cell failure in mice reaches 50, taking Xianfengcao polyacetylene compounds can protect the β-cells and allow the β-cells of mice to retain the function of secreting insulin on their own. This will Helps prevent worsening of the condition in people with diabetes. But when the pancreatic islet beta cells of mice exhaust to 10, although the remaining 10 beta cells will no longer fail or die, they are still unable to provide enough insulin.
The researchers said that if the polyacetylene compound of Xianfengcao is taken in the early or middle stages of diabetes, the function of insulin secretion by pancreatic beta cells can be preserved. This has been confirmed through animal experiments and has also obtained research results. patent. If it passes technology transfer and is proven effective and biologically safe through human clinical trials in about 2 to 4 years, it should be able to be put on the market.