Thai stem cell researchers treat diabetes

Thai medical researchers and physicians have achieved success in treating foot wounds of diabetes patients with their own stem cells, according to an announcement from Thailand's National Innovation Agency chief Supachai Lorlowhakarn.

Several diabetes patients, aged from 50 to 72, with chronic wounds on their feet -- especially difficult in the case of diabetics -- were injected with stem cells extracted from their own blood and the wounds completely healed in a three to four month period.

The stem cell treatment of wounds of diabetes patients, which costs about Bt200,000 (US$5,880) per patient, can save a large sum of money, compared to perhaps one million baht in conventional treatment for a leg wound. In addition to the patient's blood, stem cells may also be extracted from his bone marrow.

Each year, an estimated 40,000 diabetes patients had lacerations of their limbs.

Besides diabetes-related illnesses, stem cells may be used to cure thalassmia, leukemia and cardiac syndromes, according to the National Innovation Agency chief during a press conference attended by physicians of the Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine, Samitivej Srinakharin Hospital and THAI StemLife Co. (TNA)
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