KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC -New research has yielded promising results for more effective treatment and management options for patients who have Type 2 diabetes.
The study, titled ‘Combined Supplementation of S-Nitro glutathione and Glutathione Improves Glycaemic Control in Type 2 Diabetic Rats’, was led by Amarley Wright, a master’s graduate from the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI).
It focuses on using the antioxidant Glutathione, combined with another substance known as Nitric oxide, to lower blood sugar levels in diabetic rats significantly.
“So, these are some promising results, and they highlight the possible role that this combination treatment could play in improving the lives of diabetic patients,” said Wright, who, for his research, received the award for ‘Best Student Oral Presentation’ at the 14th Annual National Health Research Conference held in November 2023.
Diabetes is a disorder in which an individual develops an abnormally high blood sugar level due to inadequate or lack of insulin production by the pancreas or the body’s inability to respond appropriately to the hormone. Insulin is needed to control the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood.
Wright said Type 2 diabetes represents between 90 and 95 percent of all diabetes cases globally, with 11.6 percent of Jamaicans currently living with the condition.
“More than likely, each one of us knows somebody with diabetes. This is the reason why my research is of major importance. There are millions of people worldwide living with diabetes, and in Jamaica, the Economic and Social Survey showed that diabetes was one of the three main causes of death for both men and women in 2021,” he noted.
Common symptoms associated with diabetes include excessive thirst, extreme hunger, frequent urination, fatigue, and blindness.
Wright stated that the significant test used to diagnose Type 2 diabetes is the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, also known as the OGTT.
“This test involves an overnight fast. Blood is taken from the patient, and a fasting blood sugar level is measured. Then, they’re given fluids to drink, which contain glucose, and their blood sugar level is measured one hour and two hours afterward. Normally, a reading greater than or equal to 200 milligrams per decilitre indicates diabetes,” he explained.
In patients with diabetes, a phenomenon called ‘oxidative stress’ develops, where destructive compounds in the body, such as free radicals, become present. Suitable compounds known as antioxidants help fight against these compounds.
For Wright’s research, a major antioxidant, Glutathione, is combined with another substance, nitric oxide, to form S-nitro glutathione (GSNO).
“These two compounds are the focus of my work. So, I administered these compounds in Type 2 diabetic rats,” he said.
Wright’s research revealed that, among other things, Glutathione alone effectively reduced the blood-sugar levels of the diabetic rats that were administered the compound.
His research findings also showed an increase in the insulin concentration of the rats treated as part of the study compared to those left untreated.
Wright added that further work needs to be done, such as “evaluating the toxicity and other biomedical parameters that can be measured so that we can know more about the mechanism by which these compounds work.”
While clinical trials on compound combinations as a treatment for human diabetes have begun in other jurisdictions, such as India, Jamaica currently has no such program.
Wright said his research has the potential to change that reality.
“We could engage the clinical transitional research unit from the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies, Mona, to see how this could be done. We could also seek further information from them about what other drug tests we need to do to push this forward to clinical trials.
“Overall, we want to improve the quality of life for diabetic patients. We see that diabetes is not only a topical issue but a growing one. The prevalence of diabetes is expected to increase as well,” Wright pointed out.
He added that the healthcare expenditure associated with treating diabetes is also an area of concern in terms of insulin and other medications related to the condition that afflicted patients have to purchase.
“So, we’re talking about effective treatment, and we see that administering these compounds together could lead to a possible pharmaceutical option for treating Type 2 diabetes,” he said.
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