Salsalate shows promise for type 2 diabetes--study

Salsalate is an atypical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, chemically similar to an aspirin that reduces pain and inflammation in conditions such as arthritis, joint pain, or muscle strains but a bit easier on the stomach.

Lead author of the study Dr. Allison B. Goldfine, Joslin’s director of clinical research and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School stated, “The potential is really exciting. We have a new class of therapeutic agents to treat patients with Type 2 diabetes, and when you have a new safe, effective and inexpensive agent, that’s pretty exciting.”

Safety of salsalate evaluated at different doses
The researchers conducted a study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of salsalate at different doses in patients with type 2 diabetes.

As a part of the trial, 108 individuals aged 45 to 65, whose diabetes was not under control by the conventional medication were enrolled.

All the participants were divided into four groups and assigned different treatment regimes. While one group received only a placebo, the remaining three groups were administered different doses of salsalate for three months together with their regular diabetes medications.

Findings of the study
At the close of the study the investigators noted that glucose levels--a measure of how well the body processes sugar--improved significantly in all the three groups that took the medication.

Moreover, patients on the highest doses of 4 grams of salsalate daily showed maximum progress.

Besides a better glucose control, patients in the three salsalate groups also exhibited improvement in circulating triglyceride and adiponectin concentrate, a protein thought to aid against cardiac problems.

No serious adverse effects
On the whole the drug was well tolerated, though there were a few negative effects like an increase in LDL, or so-called bad cholesterol.

Patients who were on diabetes medications called sulfonylureas experienced episodes of mild hypoglycemia, a drop in blood sugar that can be dangerous.

Despite the results showing promise the researchers feel there is need for larger trials before doctor’s start prescribing salsalate.

Goldfine concluded, “These results are exciting. They indicate that salsalate may provide an effective, safe and inexpensive new avenue for diabetes treatment. However, these findings are preliminary.

“Additional studies are ongoing. At this time we do not recommend patients use this medication for their diabetes treatment until further studies are completed.”

The study was sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health.

The results were reported online on March 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.