Harvard University scientists have discovered a naturally compound that could help combat Type 2 diabetes.

The compound helps cells metabolize glucose, as well as lipids and proteins, and combats insulin resistance — a precursor to diabetes, Medical News Today reports.

In diabetics, cells do not respond to insulin, resulting in high blood sugar and a range of cell malfunctions that can damage the heart and blood vessels

Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health who conducted the study used a new drug-screening tool to identify the anti-diabetes compound, which they have dubbed azoramide.

In a paper published in Science Translational Medicine, the team describes how the screening technology might also be able to identify other compounds involved in cystic fibrosis, retinitis pigmentosa, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and other conditions.

In studies involving mice, lead researcher Gökhan S. Hotamisligil, a professor of genetics and metabolism, and collegues found that azoramide led to better functioning of insulin-producing beta cells and greater insulin sensitivity in tissues.

The team now plans to test the compound, and others with a similar effect, in human clinical trials.
"These results show the broad potential for azoramide or drugs with similar functions,” said Hotamisligil. “This novel screening strategy [is] an exciting new tool that can be applied by multiple labs to discover new drug candidates for [various] diseases."