[Contribution of diabetic research to versatile strategies for the treatment of diabetes mellitus].
Diabetes mellitus is a very common life-style-related disease. Both genetic and environmental factors are strongly involved in its etiology and pathogenesis, and patients suffering from this disease are rapidly increasing in number. Since the discoveries of insulin in the 1920s and of antidiabetic sulphonylureas in the 1950s, these agents have been widely used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. For the use of insulin, however, diabetic patients are imposed to inject insulin daily, and long-term use of sulphonylureas is suggested to impair pancreatic B cell functions. In order to overcome these problems and to achieve the fine control of blood glucose levels, many attempts for novel antidiabetic treatments are currently ongoing, and versatile therapeutic strategies for the treatment are expected to prevent the progression of this disease and resultant diabetic complications that severely affect the individuals' QOL. This paper overviews what diabetic research has done for its treatment and what it will do in the future.
Niki
Ichiro
I
Department of Pharmacology, Oita Medical University, Hasama, Japan. niki@oita-med.ac.jp
D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015195:Drug Design; D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007515:Islets of Langerhans; D010597:Pharmacogenetics; D010653:Phenylbutazone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds; C009452:thiazolinobutazone; D010653:Phenylbutazone