Lizard spit treatment for Type II Diabetes

A compound known as exendin-4, produced in the salivary glands of the Gila Monster helps it digest meals very slowly. This quality has been copied and produced synthetically in the injectable drug exenatide, which is being used to treat type 2 diabetes.

The headline may sound silly, but the science is solid. Like many medical discoveries, the source of this chemical rests not with white-coated scientists, but a natural product of the animal kingdom. I'm always thrilled when we find something like this. It provides yet an other reason to preserve vanishing species. A friend of mine was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes a few years ago. Luckily, his is quite controllable. I hope this discovery can help others, for whom traditional treatments might not be as effective.