July 11, 2007 (Insidermedicine) Plaquenil, a medication long used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, is showing potential for diabetes prevention, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Type 2 diabetes affects nearly 8% of American adults, and its prevalence has been increasing. It is a major cause of illness and death, and is associated with major health problems including heart disease, kidney failure, and blindness. Given the importance of diabetes as a national health problem, efforts to identify treatments that can prevent this disorder have gained priority. Recent studies suggest that lifestyle modifications, such as losing weight and eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and taking appropriate medications, can postpone the development of type 2 diabetes.

It has been suggested that antimalarial drugs such as hydroxychloroquine or Plaquenil, a long-standing safe and inexpensive treatment for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus, may improve glucose tolerance and prevent type 2 diabetes.