Ayurvedic salacia herb shows pre-diabetes benefit: Study
For six weeks, 29 subjects received either a placebo and lifestyle therapy or 500mg of Salcital, a branded form of salacia reticulata root bark extract or leaves extract supplied by Indian firm Olive Lifesciences.
Only the Salcital root bark extract group registered a significant reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels at week 3 and 6. The leaves extract group recorded a reduction only at week 6.
The researchers concluded: “Due to the presence of the a-glucosidase inhibitor ingredient in salacia, patients with prediabetes and mild to moderate hyperlipidemia exhibited improvements in serum lipid profiles and glycemic levels when treated with salacia extracts.”
The randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was led by H.N. Shivaprasad from Olive Biosciences R&D department and was published this month in the Journal of Medicinal Food.
The randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was led by H.N. Shivaprasad from Olive Biosciences R&D department and was published this month in the Journal of Medicinal Food.
Active ingredients of Salacia include salacinol, kotalanol, kotalagenin-16 acetate, and mangiferin.
“The active ingredients have a variety of actions, including postprandial glucose decrease by inhibiting a-glucosidases in the intestinal brush border, and thus slowing carbohydrate breakdown into absorbable monosaccharides,” the researchers said, in describing potential mechanisms of action.
Pre-diabetes, also known as intermediate hyperglycemia, is a high-risk state for diabetes, with 5-10% of pre-diabetics moving to full diabetics each year.
Pre-diabetics can suffer from hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and insulin resistance-linked obesity.
Source:
Journal of Medicinal Food
June 2013, 16(6): 564-568
‘Salacia reticulata Improves Serum Lipid Profiles and Glycemic Control in Patients with Prediabetes and Mild to Moderate Hyperlipidemia'
Authors: H.N. Shivaprasad, M. Bhanumathy, G. Sushma, T. Midhun, K.R. Raveendra, K.R. Sushma, and K. Venkateshwarlu
