March 14, 2020 : Issue 1033

TOP STORIES — Diabetes News and Research

Prediabetes and Risk for CKD

The Effects of Type 2 Patients Refusing Insulin

Effects of Metabolic Bariatric Surgery on Adolescents with Severe Obesity

Many of our long term readers remember the connection that Steve and I have with Dr. Richard Bernstein. Years ago he turned the diabetes world upside down when he challenged the ADA and AMA with his then “revolutionary” idea that a type one patient could manage their diabetes by counting carbs and dosing insulin. This is now the standard of diabetes care.

Now with Coronavirus putting the whole world on hold, another of his ideas is proving to be true.

He has always told us how Sambucol, a liquid extract made from elderberries, was the best treatment for flu symptoms and reducing the severity and length of flu, and this week we have an excerpt from the Journal of Functional Foods that shows he was correct. It’s possible this extract may even work for Covid19 symptoms.

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We can make a difference!

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Dave Joffe

Editor-in-chief

The FDA has now rejected Intarcia’s exenatide implanted micropump for the second time, which may likely put an end to the device.  Intarcia received a Complete Response Letter from the FDA stating that their exenatide micropump that could be inserted under the skin and provided its GLP-1 medication for 3 or 6 months and eventually for a year, would not be approved at this time.

People with prediabetes and diabetes are at a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) as well as chronic cardiovascular diseases. 

There is a strong need to understand the relationship between the refusal of insulin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes and worsening blood glucose levels. 

Metabolic and bariatric surgery can be safe and effective in adults, but can it be used in adolescents as well? 

A recent study by a group of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering researchers from the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Engineering in Journal of Functional Foods showed that compounds from elderberries can directly inhibit the influenza virus’s entry and replication in human cells, and can help strengthen a person’s immune response to the virus. The group performed a comprehensive examination of the mechanism by which phytochemicals from elderberries combat influenza infections.  What the study has shown us that the common elderberry has a potent direct antiviral effect against the flu virus,” said Dr. Golnoosh Torabian, chief researcher.  “It inhibits the early stages of infection by blocking key viral proteins responsible for both the viral attachment and entry into the host cells.” 

The researchers used commercially farmed elderberries, which were turned into a juice serum and were applied to cells before, during, and after they had been infected with the influenza virus. The phytochemicals from the elderberry juice were shown to be effective at stopping the virus infecting the cells, however to the surprise of the researchers; they were even more effective at inhibiting viral propagation at later stages of the influenza cycle when the cells had already been infected with the virus. 

Golnoosh Torabian, Peter Valtchev, Qayyum Adil, Fariba Dehghani. Anti-influenza activity of elderberry (Sambucus nigra). Journal of Functional Foods, 2019; 54: 353 DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2019.01.031 

Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections. J Int Med Res. 2004 Mar-Apr;32(2):132-40. 

Diabetes in Control gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the following pharmacy doctoral candidates in the preparation of this week’s newsletters:

Mia Flowers, PharmD. Candidate of Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University  School of Pharmacy 

George McConnell, PharmD. Candidate, LECOM School of Pharmacy

Mit Suthar, PharmD. Candidate, LECOM School of Pharmacy 

Sandra Zaki, PharmD Candidate, Florida A&M University

Your Friends in Diabetes Care
Steve and Dave
Diabetes In Control
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