Tobacco Makes Medicine
Date: 28.4.2009
**Tobacco** isn't famous for its health benefits. But now scientists have succeeded in using genetically **modified tobacco plants** to produce medicines for several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including **diabetes**. The research is published in the open access journal BMC Biotechnology.
Led by Professor Mario Pezzotti at the University of Verona, they set out to create transgenic tobacco plants that would produce biologically-active interleukin-10 (IL-10), a potent **anti-inflammatory cytokine**.
More on "spacedaily":[ http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Tobacco_Makes_Medicine_999.html]
