title: An overview of salsalate as a potential antidiabetic therapy.
abstract: The incidence of type 2 diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate throughout the world. This is in large part due to the increase in obesity and the aging of the population. Therefore, new medications to combat type 2 diabetes are needed. Salicylates have been used as analgesics and antiinflammatory agents for several decades. Incidentally, in some studies it was noted that high-dose salicylate treatment reduced blood glucose concentrations. Recently, inflammation has been strongly associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. Some studies show that salsalate, which is a nonacetylated form of salicylate, reduces blood glucose concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes, as well as in insulin-resistant patients without diabetes. Postulated mechanisms include the inhibition of nuclear factor NF-kappa-B. Discussed in this review are the efficacy, safety and mechanisms of salsalate relevant to the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center and Omaha VA Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA. cdesouza@unmc.edu
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Desouza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012459:Salicylates / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D016328:NF-kappa B; D012459:Salicylates; C014182:salicylsalicylic acid