Irish scientists in international diabetes breakthrough

Researchers based in Ireland have made a potential breakthrough in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.

Working in partnership with the United Arab Emirates University, scientists from the University of Ulster have discovered that a substance found in the skin of a South America frog could be used to treat the disease.

We welcome this innovative research that could benefit some of the two million people in the UK with Type 2 diabetes

Douglas Smallwood

Chief executive

Diabetes UK

Pseudin-2 offers the Paradoxical frog protection from infection and was found to stimulate the release of insulin.

Researchers say it could boost insulin production in humans if an artificial copy is developed.

It is hoped creating a human version of pseudin-2 will lead to the creation of a new class of medicines, known as incretin mimetics, which would recreate substances found in the natural world.

Dr Yasser Abdel-Wahab, senior biomedical sciences lecturer at the University of Ulster, commented: "We are at an exciting stage with this research.

"More research is needed, but there is a growing body of work around natural anti-diabetic drug discovery that, as you can see, is already yielding fascinating results.

Dr Abdel-Wahab presented the findings at the recent Diabetes UK Annual Professional Conference in Glasgow.

Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: "We welcome this innovative research that could benefit some of the two million people in the UK with Type 2 diabetes.