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September 29, 2006
Green tea compound has antidiabetic effect
The October, 2006 issue of the Journal of Nutrition featured an article by Swiss researchers concerning their finding that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a flavanol in green tea, alleviates diabetes in mice and rats.
In one experiment, type 2 diabetic mice were given diets containing 2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 grams per kilogram of a green tea extract providing over 94 percent EGCG. A control group of diabetic mice received no EGCG, and another group were treated with an antidiabetic drug. Blood glucose was analyzed before treatment and weekly until the study's conclusion at 7 weeks. An oral glucose tolerance test was administered at 5 weeks. At the end of the experiment, blood samples taken from the mice were analyzed for glucose, free fatty acids, triglycerides, and plasma insulin levels.
The researchers conducted a similar experiment with rats who received the EGCG concentrate at 5 grams per kilogram diet for ten weeks while a placebo group received the antidiabetic drug.
EGCG was found to dose-dependently improve glucose levels and glucose tolerance in diabetic mice after 5 weeks. Mice who received the highest dose of EGCG experienced a 36.9 percent average reduction in glucose levels compared to animals who did not receive the compound. Triglyceride levels were also dose-dependently reduced, and plasma insulin was increased. Diabetic rats who received EGCG also experienced improved glucose tolerance and increased plasma insulin, and had lower free fatty acids.
In an additional experiment in which the research team tested the effect of the EGCG concentrate on H411E rat liver tumor cells, the compound was found to downregulate genes involved in lipid metabolism and glucose formation.
"Dietary supplementation with EGCG could potentially contribute to nutritional strategies for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus," the authors conclude.
Green tea compound has antidiabetic effect
The October, 2006 issue of the Journal of Nutrition featured an article by Swiss researchers concerning their finding that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a flavanol in green tea, alleviates diabetes in mice and rats.
In one experiment, type 2 diabetic mice were given diets containing 2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 grams per kilogram of a green tea extract providing over 94 percent EGCG. A control group of diabetic mice received no EGCG, and another group were treated with an antidiabetic drug. Blood glucose was analyzed before treatment and weekly until the study's conclusion at 7 weeks. An oral glucose tolerance test was administered at 5 weeks. At the end of the experiment, blood samples taken from the mice were analyzed for glucose, free fatty acids, triglycerides, and plasma insulin levels.
The researchers conducted a similar experiment with rats who received the EGCG concentrate at 5 grams per kilogram diet for ten weeks while a placebo group received the antidiabetic drug.
EGCG was found to dose-dependently improve glucose levels and glucose tolerance in diabetic mice after 5 weeks. Mice who received the highest dose of EGCG experienced a 36.9 percent average reduction in glucose levels compared to animals who did not receive the compound. Triglyceride levels were also dose-dependently reduced, and plasma insulin was increased. Diabetic rats who received EGCG also experienced improved glucose tolerance and increased plasma insulin, and had lower free fatty acids.
In an additional experiment in which the research team tested the effect of the EGCG concentrate on H411E rat liver tumor cells, the compound was found to downregulate genes involved in lipid metabolism and glucose formation.
"Dietary supplementation with EGCG could potentially contribute to nutritional strategies for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus," the authors conclude.
