A method for treating type 1 diabetes in a human in need of such treatment, comprising administering to the human a biologically effective amount of at least one inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase or a pro-inflammatory cytokine, wherein the inhibitor is an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and the inhibitor specifically inhibits the activity of HMG-CoA reductase.