Januvia, new generation medicine

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent diseases among modern society. It can be caused by a number of factors: heredity, overweight, and/or stress. The cure to this disease has not been found, but it can be controlled. Prevention and taking control of this complicated disease is important. In order to prevent diabetes, we maintain average weight, exercise regularly, and control our stress levels. If one is diagnosed with diabetes, one needs to be educated to understand this disease, have an exercise plan and a balanced meal plan, and change his or her lifestyle. The meal plan must be balanced and contain less sugary foods, grains (i.e. rice, bread, potato), more protein (i.e. meat, fish, poultry, tofu, egg), and more fiber (i.e. vegetables). A balanced meal combines many different foods with daily calorie intake. It is very important to maintain control from the moment of diagnosis so that the condition does not become more serious.

The history of diabetes treatment spans key milestones. It started with a Canadian scholar who researched insulin in 1920—the 1st revolution. Insulin extracted from animal sources (pigs and cows) changed patient care. By 1980, scientists successfully developed synthetic insulin without animal sources, marking the second revolution.

Now, let’s talk about the medication which brought about the third revolution.

It was known that insulin could secrete from the pancreas when food is eaten, but a recent study showed a new theory stating that the incretin hormone could secrete from the stomach and intestinal wall when food is eaten. It has also been discovered that this hormone diminishes in people with diabetes when compared with non-diabetics. The body does not respond well to this hormone when injected with dextrose (sugar), but there is a dominant response with the intake of food. This incretin hormone stimulates the pancreas to release insulin secretion and suppresses glucagon release. This hormone also prevents the production of liver glucose and keeps the stomach full, slowing gastric emptying, reducing weight gain, and increasing insulin sensitivity.

Incretin hormone is metabolized (disappears with action) by an enzyme named DPP-IV. In order to prolong the incretin hormone, scientists developed drugs to stop this enzyme DPP-IV from working. Januvia (Sitagliptin) by Merck was approved by the FDA on October 17, 2006. Januvia blocks the enzyme DPP-IV and makes the incretin hormone last longer in the body. This medication is an oral pill taken once a day, with very few known side effects and low risk of interaction with other medications.

I hope the day will come when we can find a cure for diabetes through advancement in technology.