Repurposing nitazoxanide in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled trial

Preclinical data suggest nitazoxanide (NTZ) as a potential PPAR-γ agonist with potential benefits in type 2 diabetes. This pilot trial aimed to explore the tolerability and preliminary effects of NTZ as an add-on therapy to the existing metformin-vildagliptin combination on glycemic control and inflammatory biomarkers in type 2 diabetes patients.

Eighty-eight patients were analyzed in the control and NTZ groups (44 per group). All patients were treated with metformin-vildagliptin combination. The NTZ group received 500 mg nitazoxanide orally twice daily. The primary outcome was glycemic control, assessed by glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting blood glucose. Secondary outcomes included fasting insulin, serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB-1), asprosin, and malondialdehyde (MDA). All outcomes were measured at baseline and after three months.

A between-groups comparison revealed significantly lower inflammatory markers with NTZ compared to control [IL-6: 23.64 ng/L (21.00-32.71) vs. 32.52 ng/L (29.63-36.13) and HMGB-1: 10.46 ng/mL (6.37-14.61) vs. 22.60 ng/mL (20.18-27.37), P < 0.001 for both]. HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, insulin, asprosin, and MDA were not considerably different between the two groups. Markedly lower levels of IL-6 (P = 0.009), HMGB-1 (P < 0.001), asprosin, (P = 0.002), and MDA (P < 0.001) were observed following NTZ treatment. Conversely, IL-6 and HMGB-1 increased significantly in the control group (P < 0.001 for both). Other biomarkers did not change significantly in both groups.

NTZ may alleviate oxidative stress and inflammation in type 2 diabetes despite no improvement in glycemic parameters.

This trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov under the name: Nitazoxanide as Adjuvant Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with the identifier: NCT06010992. Registration date: 8-2023.