TEHRAN – Iranian researcher, Seyed Shahabeddin Mortazavi-Jahromi, has discovered a new medicine derived from seaweed to treat diabetes.

Mortazavi-Jahromi is a member of the international pharmaceutical research team of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS).

Guluronic acid (G2013) has been introduced as a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in 2013 after its tolerability, safety, and efficacy have been assessed in preclinical evaluations and also in several clinical trials (as an additive medication to conventional drugs) on patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) by the TUMS research team.

Following the observation of the positive effects of drug G2013 on the level of blood glucose of diabetic patients, participating in clinical trials, a distinct investigation was designed on an induced animal model of diabetes.

Moreover, as incidence risks of atherosclerosis and its complications in diabetic patients are 2 to 3.5 times higher than normal individuals, the expression levels of inflammatory markers involved in these disorders were assessed in G2013-treated mice by Mortazavi-Jahromi.

A 28-day treatment of test group animals with drug G2013 led to the significant reduction of their fasting blood sugar level besides the considerable elevation of their fasting serum insulin level compared to the diabetic control group, which confirmed the anti-diabetic effects of drug G2013. 

Referring to complete safety of drug G2013 in animal and human, Mortazavi-Jahromi declared that administrative processes are in progress for obtaining required approval and accomplishing clinical trial of this drug on type 1 diabetes mellitus patients and drug G2013 can be used in the treatment of patients suffering from this disease after receiving its legal approval from regulatory authorities of the Ministry of Health.

FB/MG