Lose weight and prevent diabetes with folk medicine from Mexico: Yellow oleander seeds found to reduce obesity and prevent insulin resistance

Obesity is a serious health concern that affects more than an individual’s weight. Obese individuals have higher than normal levels of adipose tissue, which manifests in Body Weight (BW) gain. A person’s height and weight is “used to determine the degree of obesity.”

To address the issue of obesity, “a multifactorial disease” that has significantly increased the development of chronic degenerative diseases, a group of researchers from Mexico conducted a study concerning the possible health benefits of the seeds of Thevetia peruviana. The plant, also known as yellow oleander, is often used in Mexican traditional medicine for weight loss.

Some drugs used to treat obesity include appetite suppressants that balance the central nervous system (CNS), but drugs that regulate the absorption of specific nutrients like fat also come with negative side effects. Meanwhile, there are medicinal plants in traditional medicines that can be used for weight loss. These plants contain compounds such as “flavonoids, alkaloids, and saponins,” which have “anti-obesity effects throughout different mechanisms of action.”

When a person is diagnosed as obese, a health complication that also arises is insulin resistance,he can be put at risk of developing type-2 diabetes (T2D), a disease linked with different disorders like hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, and hypertension. (Related: Obesity and lack of sleep boost risk for insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and diabetes.)

For the study, the scientists assessed the effect of different extracts of T. peruviana on monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced obesity in mice. MSG, the sodium salt of the amino acid known as glutamic acid, is used as a condiment to enhance food flavors. A chemical analysis helped identify the chemical compounds that were contained in the active extract used in the mice.

Male and female CD-1-strain mice were paired for the study and the offspring from the pairings were used in the experimentation as follows: on postnatal days two and four where mice received two milligrams/kilogram (mg/kg) of MSG subcutaneously. On postnatal days six, eight, and ten, the mice received four mg/kg of MSG via the same route.

The BW of the mice observed in the study was measured weekly. At the end of treatment, “blood levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, adiponectin, and resistin” were all measured. A glucose tolerance test and an insulin resistance test were also done on the mice with induced obesity.

The mice observed in the study were given oral doses of the hexanic extract of T. peruviana seeds for seven weeks: it in turn successfully reduced the weight gain in mice
with induced obesity. The extract showed a good response to the glucose tolerance test.

It also managed to avoid the development of insulin resistance, and it considerably increased serum adiponectin levels. The researchers posit that yellow oleander can potentially reduce obesity and that further studies can benefit individuals who are obese or overweight.

Natural ways to boost insulin sensitivity

While the research concerning the health benefits of yellow oleander seeds is ongoing, here are some tips that can help boost your insulin sensitivity:

• Minimize stress — The stress you feel affects your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar. This forces the body to go into “fight-or-flight” mode, which then prompts the production of stress hormones like cortisol and glucagon. However, too much stress can keep your stress hormone levels high and this can cause nutrient breakdown and increase blood sugar.
• Get enough sleep — If you’re well rested, you won’t have to deal with an increased “risk of infections, heart disease, and type-2 diabetes.” Poor sleep is also connected to reduced insulin sensitivity.
•  Try to lose some weight — Stomach fat can reduce insulin sensitivity and increase the risk of type-2 diabetes. Exercising can help trim your belly fat and boost insulin sensitivity.
•  Eat more colorful fruits and vegetables — Fruits and vegetables have antioxidant properties. Eating a diet full of plant compounds “is linked to higher insulin sensitivity.”

You can read more articles about medicinal herbs and other natural cures at Healing.news.

Sources include:

Journals.SFA.ca^[PDF]

HealthLine.com