A chemical found in garlic can treat diabetes types I and II, according to a study. When researchers gave a drug made from the chemical to type I diabetic mice, it reduced blood their glucose levels.
The drug is based on vanadium and allixin, a compound found in garlic. Previous work had already shown that the vanadium-allixin compound treated both diabetes types when injected, but this new study shows the drug has promise as an oral treatment for the disease as well.
Type I diabetes is currently treated with daily injections of insulin, while type II is often treated with drugs bearing undesirable side-effects.