Doctors at Tulane and Harvard have begun a study to see if the drug Salsalate can help control diabetes.

The drug is related to aspirin and is used to decrease inflammation throughout the body. Doctors believe that inflammation is part of the reason people who are very overweight get type-2 diabetes.

The drug has already proven to help laboratory animals and people in smaller studies control diabetes and blood pressure.

“It’s not going to be a spectacular drug but it’s cheap and it’s generic and if we prove that it works it will help control this epidemic of diabetes and maybe even help heart disease,” said Tulane Endocrinologist Dr. Vivian Fonseca.

To qualify for the study, type-2 diabetics have to be 18-70-years-old, can only be on a low dose oral medication for diabetes and must not be using insulin.

For more information, you can call 988-4651.