A potential cure for Type I Diabetes has been reported by University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB) researchers.

The team led by Dr. Anath Shalev discovered that Verapamil can lower the TXNIP protein level located in pancreatic beta cells, reports IFLScience!

Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker and has been used for over 30 years to treat several forms of headache, irregular heartbeat and hypertension. Since the drug is well known to medical practitioners , the chances of Verapamil getting federal approval as a treatment for Type 1 diabetes are high.

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Dr. Shalev singled out the TXNIP gene as the one that responds strongly whenever the pancreas is subjected to very high glucose levels. The full name of the TXNIP gene is "thioredoxin-interacting protein."

Her findings suggest large quantities of TXNIP usually take care of the insulin producing islet beta cells in the pancreas. She believes suppressing the TXNIP gene will help keep diabetes at bay.

Her theory was boosted by successful tests on mice, as well islets removed from humans. Clinical trials on humans are ongoing.

People afflicted with diabetes can change their lifestyle to prevent or manage their diabetes. First, they need to keep their blood sugar level normal as much as possible.

To ensure a normal sugar level, one must check his or her glucose levels as often as possible. Diabetes medicine should be taken religiously.

One must also balance his or her food intake with exercise, adequate sleep, medicine and proper stress management.

Scientists are also trying to develop a vaccine for diabetes. This vaccine will essentially prevent the immune system from destroying the beta cells that produce insulin.

The diabetes vaccine currently being developed is only for Type I diabetes. Selecta Bioscience is developing the Synthetic Vaccine Particle (SVP) for Type I diabetes that will basically give instructions to the immune system not to harm insulin cells.

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