Addressing Metabolic Syndrome

Multi-functional nutritional ingredients may stop the progression of metabolic syndrome

Heather Granato
02/26/2008

Continued from page 3

Also out of Asia comes the “king of mushrooms”, maitake (Grifola frondosa). Maitake Products received a patent (U.S. Patent No. 7,214,778) for its SX-Fraction®, covering its anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, anti-hyperlipidemic and anti-obesity effects. SX-Fraction is a glycoprotein, an oligosaccharide-bound protein, from which the immune-enhancing portion has been removed during extraction. Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, conducted a study in insulinresistant KK mice to determine the benefits of a water-soluble extract of maitake (as SX-Fraction, from Maitake Products) on glucose/insulin metabolism.⁶⁹ A dose of 140 mg/mouse induced a statistically significant lowering of circulating glucose concentrations; in a chronic test, it lowered both circulating concentrations of glucose and insulin. The findings suggest maitake works by enhancing peripheral insulin sensitivity. And a study in genetically diabetic rats with insulin resistance found providing SX-Fraction to the animals lowered systolic blood pressure after only five days by 15 to 20 mmHg.⁷⁰

There maybe synergistic effects between maitake, niacin-bound chromium and Garcinia cambogia extract, according to another Georgetown trial.⁷¹ In a study of aged, diabetic Zucker fatty rats, the combination of SX-Fraction, niacin-bound chromium (as ChromeMate®, from InterHealth Nutraceuticals) and hydroxycitric acid (HCA) from G. cambogia (as CitriMax®, from InterHealth Nutraceuticals) lowered systolic blood pressure and helped maintain body weight, compared to controls. There was also a general trend for improved renal and liver function. Additional investigation from the research team on a combination of SX-Fraction and niacin-bound chromium reported the extract could lower systolic blood pressure and circulating glucose, as well as decreasing triglycerides in rats.⁷²

On its own, garcinia, a fruit grown in southeast Asia, and west and central Africa, may impact both adipocity and glucose metabolism. In vitro work out of Korea suggests garcinia extract inhibits cytoplasmiclipidaccumulation and adipogenic differentiation of preadipocytes.⁷³ Animal trials have found garcinia improves glucose metabolism and displays leptinlike activity,⁷⁴ as well as aiding in weight loss, although there are concerns about its impact on cholesterol ratios.⁷⁵ Additionally, researchers at the University of Houston examined the impact of HCA (as Super CitriMax, from InterHealth Nutraceuticals) on inflammation, oxidative stress and insulin resistance in obese Zucker rats.⁷⁶ Supplementation reduced food intake and weight gain, while attenuating increases in inflammatory markers, oxidative stress and insulin resistance.

India is the source of several botanicals historically used for controlling diabetes and regulating blood sugar. Gymnema sylvestre ex tract has anti-hyperglycemic activit y and may inhibit glucose uptake, impacting blood glucose management.⁷⁷ Researchers from Tottori University, Yonago, Japan, investigated the effects of gymnema extract in a rat model of metabolic syndrome; they found treatment promoted reduced food intake, decreased body weight and reduced hyperlipidemia, without a rebound after withdrawal.⁷⁸

Gymnema also appears to work in concert with chromium and other botanical agents. Researchers from Georgetown University conducted an eight-week, double blind, placebo-controlled study in which 60 moderately obese subjects received a combination of gymnema extract, niacinbound chromium (as ChromeMate) and HCA (as Super CitriMax) or placebo three times daily, before meals.⁷⁹ Subjects on the active intervention had greater reductions in food intake, weight loss, total cholesterol, triglycerides and serum leptin levels. These findings correlated with earlier animal work by the research team, in which a combination of niacin-bound chromium (as ChromeMate), gymnema and vanadium helped reduce elevated blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels while modulating insulin release.⁸⁰

Coccinia indica
(syn. Cordifolia), also known as ivy gourd, is a creeper that grows widely in India and Bangladesh. It has been used since ancient times as an antidiabetic drug by Ayurvedic healers. A 45-day study in diabetic rats showed C. indica may have hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, decreasing concentrations of blood glucose, lipids and fatty acids and increasing plasma insulin.⁸¹ Research from the same team also found supplementation with C. indica extract had significant antioxidant activity in the liver and kidney of diabetic rats.⁸²

Clinical trials have shown similarly positive results. In a study out of Bangladesh, type 2 diabetics received C. indica tablets or placebo and then were tested for glucose tolerance.⁸³ Intervention significantly improved blood glucose tolerance, with a high level of safety. And in a study out of the Institute of Population Health and Clinical Research, Bangalore, India, 60 type 2 diabetics were randomized to receive 1 g/d of an alcoholic extract of C. indica (as Gencinia™, from Gencor Pacific) or a placebo for 90 days.⁸⁴ There was a significant decrease in fasting and postprandial blood glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin of the intervention group.

Fenugreek
is a food and a spice commonly eaten in many parts of the world, and has been used for centuries by Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners for treating blood sugar dysfunction. Research suggests fenugreek seeds may help balance blood sugar and have beneficial effects on triglycerides. Studies in diabetic rats, for example, reveal fenugreek inhibits carbohydrate digestion and absorption and enhances peripheral insulin action;⁸⁵ reduces oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation;⁸⁶ and beneficially influences dyslipidemia, coupled with a tendency to inhibit platelet aggregation.⁸⁷ It also appears to inhibit weight gain in rats fed a high-fat diet,⁸⁸ possibly increasing the use of fatty acids during exercise, burning more calories than without supplementation.⁸⁹

Again, human studies have also shown beneficial effects. Researchers at the Jaipur Diabetes and Research Centre evaluated the effects of fenugreek seeds (1 g/d) on glycemic control and insulin resistance in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics (n=25).⁹⁰ After two months on the intervention, the fenugreek group had improved glycemic control and reduced insulin resistance; there were also decreases in serum triglycerides and increases in HDL cholesterol. Similarly, a clinical trial out of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, investigated whether adding fenugreek saponins to sulfonylurea treatment in type 2 diabetics would enhance blood glucose control.⁹¹ The combined treatment significantly improved fasting blood glucose, TCM symptoms and clinical symptomatic scores, compared to the drug alone.

The loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is a fruit tree in the subfamily Maloideae of the family Rosaceae, indigenous to southeastern China. When standardized to corosolic acid, it may have blood glucose modulating properties. In vitro work in China has shown corosolic acid in a loquat extract suppresses differentiation of pre-adipocytes and promotes glucose uptake.⁹² Further, Korean researchers found loquat extract had strong antioxidant activity, inhibiting free radical generation.⁹³ And loquat extract exerts an anti-hyperglycemic effect in both normal and diabetic mice.⁹⁴

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