title: Improvement of metabolic control in diabetic patients during mebendazole administration: preliminary studies.
abstract: After the observation of decreasing insulin resistance in a diabetic patient during treatment with mebendazole for nematosis, we investigated the effect of mebendazole on metabolic control in six Type 1 (insulin-dependent) and six Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients, eight of whom were chronically resistant to conventional treatment. Before and after mebendazole treatment for 1 month, plasma glucose and serum C-peptide concentrations were determined both fasting and 4 h after a mixed breakfast. Improvements in fasting blood glucose concentrations occurred in Type 1 (12.83 +/- 1.11 versus 6.56 +/- 0.56 mmol/l; p less than 0.05) and Type 2 (10.22 +/- 0.56 versus 7.56 +/- 0.67 mmol/l; p less than 0.05) diabetic patients and were associated with increases in post-cibal C-peptide responses in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients. Following discontinuation of mebendazole, metabolic control deteriorated in five out of the six Type 1 diabetic patients and in all the Type 2 diabetic patients. We conclude that mebendazole increases insulin secretion, and decreases plasma glucose concentration in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients. However, these beneficial effects may be transient.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D002747:Chlorpropamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008463:Mebendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001562:Benzimidazoles; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D008463:Mebendazole; D002747:Chlorpropamide