An Australian company is making the rather ambitious claim that it has discovered a plant that could be used as a substitute for insulin. The plant is a vine that grows in the rainforests of the Pacific Islands. The chairman of Dia-B Tech, the biotechnology company behind the announcement, says that the vine has been used in traditional medicines for a long time. Although it has not yet been used to treat diabetes, the company has reason to believe it will be effective and could be a "proxy" for insulin. The company also claims it could be better than insulin because it would not cause organ damage, as long-term use of insulin can do. Whether or not this discovery ever comes to anything for diabetics is the question. In any case, it's an intriguing and bold announcement!
