CHANDIGARH: Now more shots of

have been found to cure type 2

. Improvising upon its study in 2008, PGI which has tried 2 shots of stem cells has found that the rate of success increased from 70% to 80%. Out of

10 patients who were given the shots of .3 billion stem cells from their own body , 9 were off insulin completely.

In an animal study it was established that the stem cells that went inside the pancreas kicked the residual beta cell function to regenerate the pancreas. "This implies that more the number of stem cells induced, better is the result as it keeps the type 2 diabetics off insulin," said Dr Anil Bhansali, main author of the study published in an international journal-Cell Transplantation.

The study is in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). Before the stem cell therapy is introduced in the PGI as a regenerative medicine, more work and multicentric trials are required. as Dr Bhansali said, "We are roping in centres in Mumbai and the AIIMS for the trials before we start the stem cell as a medicine in the PGI."

Besides the 10 patients, there were 11 candidates enrolled for the study as a control group and were kept on saline. "These patients also showed an improvement of 25%. But this is insignificant as the success is counted when it is more than 50% in stem cell induction.

The average age of the diabetic person was 55 years. "We gave them shots after an interval of three months which improved the functioning of the pancreas. Presently we are working on the path of the stem cells on animal mode. We want to know how many cells enter the pancreas," said Dr Bhansali. He added, "The cells also enter the liver and other organs. But they are not cancerous as they are from the patient's own bone marrow."