Abstract
India is the diabetes capital of the world with an exponential increase in diabetes
prevalence in the last few decades. It may not be just a simple co-incidence that
the global increase in diabetes is associated with an exponential increase in industrial
chemical output. Literature searches through PubMed, Medline and Embase for articles
published until July 2014 evaluating link between endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)
and diabetes was done. This review observed that a large volume of data is available
from preclinical studies implicating commonly used synthetic compounds in the pathogenesis
of diabetes. EDCs have been demonstrated to interact with almost all the steps of
insulin homeostasis starting from its synthesis to its signaling and action. Bisphenol-A,
2,3,7,8-tetrachlorod-ibenzo-dioxin (TCDD)/dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),
persistent organic pollutants, diethylhexylphthalate, cadmium and arsenic are some
of the important EDCs which interfere with a maximal number of pathways of insulin
homeostasis. However data from humans establishing the causality lacks from across
the globe, with maximal data available from bisphenol-A and TCDD from USA. Their evaluation
among Indians, especially with regards to dysglycemia, insulin resistance and beta
cell function is non-existent, thus warranting urgent research in this area.
Beta cell function - diabetes - endocrine disruptors - insulin resistance - prediabetes