Fruit
compounds called anthocyanins could
help lower blood sugar levels in people
with diabetes, according to preliminary
tests on animals.
Anthocyanins, a class of plant pigments
responsible for the colour of many fruits
increased insulin production in animal
pancreatic cells by 50 per cent, according
to the study.
"It is possible that consumption
fruits containing these compounds [anthocyanins]
could have a significant impact on insulin
levels in humans," said study leader
Muralee Nair, a natural products chemist
at Michigan State University.
"We're excited with the laboratory
results so far, but more studies are
needed," he added.
New study shows that Anthocyanins also
have promise for both the prevention
of type 2 diabetes and for helping control
glucose levels in those who already have
the condition.
Diabetes has already increased by one-third
during the 1990s, due to the prevalence
of obesity and an ageing population.
The worldwide numbers are expected to
climb from 194 million people to more
than 333 million diabetics by 2025, according
to the International Diabetes Federation.
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Food
and supplement makers are increasingly looking
at ways to help slow the onset of the disease
and such products may be the most efficient way
to provide the beneficial anthocyanins, according
to Nair.
The researcher's team tested several
types of anthocyanins extracted from tart cherries,
popular in the United States, and the Cornelian
cherry, which is widely consumed in Europe. They
investigated their effects on mouse pancreatic-beta
cells, which normally produce insulin in the
presence of high concentrations of glucose.
Compared
to cells that were not exposed to anthocyanins,
exposed cells were associated with a 50 per cent
increase in insulin levels, the researchers say.
The mechanism of action by which these anthocyanins
boost insulin production is not known, Nair said,
but the team is currently feeding anthocyanins
to a group of obese, diabetic mice to determine
how the chemicals influence insulin levels in
live subjects.
Scientists in Nair's laboratory
have also developed a patented process for removing
sugar from fruit extracts that contain anthocyanins.
This could lead to sugar-free products for people
with diabetes.
The study is scheduled to appear in the 5 January
issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
The online version was initially published on 17
December on the journal's website.
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