Development of indigenous remedies for the management of Type-2 Diabetes
Gundu HR Rao, Professor, Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Founder, CEO South Asian Society on Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis, Global Alliance of Traditional Health Systems.
The latest Chinese research has shown mulberry leaf is effective in regulating blood fat, balancing blood pressure, reducing blood glucose, and boosting metabolism. Experiment shows, N-Me-DNJ, GAL-DNJ, fagomine, all active components of mulberry leaves, can reduce blood sugar level significantly, of which, GAL-DNJ, fagomine has the most obvious sugar reduction roles. Mulberry leaves have several ways to reduce the blood sugar: We are interested in studying the know effect of DNJ: 1-DNJ inhibits the di-glucosidase, the degradative enzyme of glucose, and decreases the absorption of diglucose from intestines.
Karnataka Silk Board has developed mulberry green tea sachets for preparing tea. We used these green tea bags in our studies to evaluate the effect of green tea on fasting blood glucose and post-prandial glucose in well-characterized type-2 diabetes patients at the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology, Bangalore, under the supervision of Dr Shaheena Banu, HOD Biochemistry and Gundu HR Rao, Professor University of Minnesota. The data are summarized in a special attachment.
We would like to expand these studies along the following lines:
1. Characterize the 1-Deoxynojirmycin content of mulberry leaves grown in different parts of Karnataka, using high pressure liquid chromatography and evaporative light scattering methods.
2. Prepare standardized green tea bags for future clinical studies
3. Conduct a large scale clinical study at the Karnataka Institute of Diabetes under the direction of Dr Narasimha Shetty, Director, KID, and Gundu HR Rao
4. Develop a industrial level extraction facility to use the active compound for the preparation of a polypill for diabetes
Method for analysis of DNJ:
Determination of 1-Deoxynojirimycin in Mulberry Leaves Using Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography with Evaporative Light Scattering Detection
Toshiyuki Kimura,*† Kiyotaka Nakagawa,‡ Yuko Saito,§ Kenji Yamagishi,† Masahiro Suzuki,† et al:† ‡
National Agricultural Research Center for Tohoku Region, Fukushima 960-2156, Japan; Food and Biodynamic Chemistry Laboratory, Graduate School of Life Science and Agriculture, Tohoku University, Sendai 981-8555, Japan; Fukushima Technology Center, Aizuwakamatsu Technical Support Center, Aizuwakamatsu 965-0006, Japan; and National Food Research Institute, Tsukuba 305-8642, Japan
J. Agric. Food Chem., 2004, 52 (6), pp 1415–141
We are seeking funds for developing a nursery for genetically improving the DNJ content of mulberry leaves, for standardization of the mulberry grown in different parts of the country in terms of DNJ content, large scale extraction of the isolates from the best source of mulberry for the development of a polypill for diabetes.
We will do these studies as collaborative studies with the Researchers of Karnataka silk board ( Prof Muniraju and associates), and the IPC Heart Care Center, Mimbai. The other two components for the POLYPILL are Betaine (trimethyl glycine) from sugar beets and 4- hydroxyisolecuine from fenugreek (Fenugreek contains sotolon, trigonelline, and 4-hydroxyisoleucine, compounds that are thought to be the active components of it. 4-hydroxyisoleucine may stimulate the secretion of insulin, which is why fenugreek may theoretically lower blood sugar). Other possible ingredients include; Amla (Phyllanthrus emblica); polphenols, antioxidants. And Karela (Momordica
Charanita; Steroid saponins, Insulin like peptides, alkaloids. Gumarin similar to bovine insulin.