How arthritis drug could help with type 2 diabetes

A DRUG used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder that causes pain and swelling in the joints, may also help to lower blood-sugar levels in type 2 diabetes.

In a study at Yangzhou University in China, mice with type 2 diabetes were given leflunomide, an anti-inflammatory drug, which returned their blood- sugar levels to normal. Their cells also started responding to the hormone insulin.

The drug targets a protein that controls the insulin receptor, which is responsible for making cells take sugar from the bloodstream. This will now be tested in patients.