The diabetes drug Actos (Pioglitazone) may help prevent serious complications from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a disorder that may affect one in five Americans, according to a report in the Nov. 30th issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

IUniversity of Texas researchers reported that in a small study involving 55 people with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and either insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, Actos reduced liver fat by 54 percent.

About half of the group was given 45 milligrams of Actos daily for six months, while the other half received a placebo. Both groups were asked to maintain a lower calorie diet. Insulin sensitivity in the liver improved by 48 percent in the Actos group, compared to 14 percent in the placebo group.

Researcher Dr. Kenneth Cusi said nonalcoholic fatty liver disease probably accounts for about half of the people who develop cirrhosis of the liver.

"We're excited because we now have a pharmacological option that might help prevent end-stage liver disease," said Cusi. "The long-term clinical benefit of pioglitazone awaits larger controlled trials of longer duration, but it is a very exciting first step.

"The take-home message from this is if you are overweight and have Type 2 diabetes or even if you're just overweight, you can ask your doctor to test if you have a fatty liver," Cusi said.