Breynia retusa (Dennst.) Alston demonstrates antioxidant and anti-diabetic potential

A study published in the journal Food Science and Human Wellness examined the antioxidant and anti-diabetic potentials of the fruits and leaves of the cup saucer plant (Breynia retusa). It also looked at the nutritional and total phenolic contents of leaves and fruit of the plant.

• The consumption of fruits and vegetables is being used around the world to protect against oxidative stress-related conditions, including diabetes.
• Inhibitors of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase – two digestive enzymes playing a central role in diabetes – are used to estimate the anti-diabetic potential of plant extracts.
• Inhibiting these enzymes can reduce the breakdown of starch into glucose in the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in lower levels of blood sugar after a meal.
• Hence, researchers at Bharathiar University in India measured the inhibitory potentials of cup sauce fruit and leaf extracts against free radicals, alpha-amylase, and alpha-glucosidase enzymes.
• The researchers found that cup saucer fruit and leaf extracts have high amounts of total phenolics, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
• These compounds can reduce oxidative stress-related disorders like diabetes by scavenging free radicals.
• The cup sauce fruit and leaf extracts also exhibited potent antioxidant properties by inhibiting alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase enzymes, which might control hyperglycemia and other diabetic complications.

In sum, the findings of the study indicated that the fruits and leaves of the cup saucer plant might be used as a nutritional food supplement against disorders related to oxidative stress, such as diabetes and diabetic complications.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

Read more studies on natural medicines that have anti-diabetic properties like the cup saucer plant at  PreventDiabetes.news.

Journal Reference:

Murugan R, Prabu J, Chandran R, Sajeesh T, Iniyavan M, Parimelazhagan T. NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION, IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-DIABETIC POTENTIALS OF BREYNIA RETUSA (DENNST.) ALSTON. Food Science and Human Wellness. March 2016; 5(1): 30-38. DOI: 10.1016/j.fshw.2015.12.001