General Health
Curcumin may helps fight diabetes
By David Liu, Ph. D.
Apr 30, 2008 - 3:47:31 PM

WEDNESDAY April 30, 2008 (Foodconsumer.org) -- Curcumin found in turmeric may help fight diabetes, according to a new study published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.

The study of diabetic mice showed mice fed diet supplemented with curcumin experienced lower blood glucose levels than controls.  The animals also lost less weight.

Researchers from Sunchon National University and Kyungpook National University in Republic of Korea also found the activity of the enzyme hepatic glucokinase was boosted after a meal with curcumin-added.

The enzyme plays a role in the conversion of glucose into glycogen, the main carbohydrate stores in the body, nutraingredients.com reported.

Curcumin was also able to lower the activity of some enzymes associated with the production of biomarkers of cardiovascular health such as free fatty acids, cholesterol and triglycerides in the diabetic mice.

However, the compound did not have an effect on blood glucose, plasma insulin and glucose regulating enzyme activities in the normal mice, the researchers were cited as stating.

The researchers concluded "These results suggest that curcumin seemed to be a potential glucose-lowering agent and antioxidant in type 2 diabetic db/db mice, but had no affect in non-diabetic db/+ mice."

Mol Nutr Food Res. 2008 Apr 8
Effect of curcumin supplementation on blood glucose, plasma insulin, and glucose homeostasis related enzyme activities in diabetic db/db mice.
Seo KI, Choi MS, Jung UJ, Kim HJ, Yeo J, Jeon SM, Lee MK.
Department of Food and Nutrition, Sunchon National University, Jeonnam, Republic of Korea. Fax: +82-61-750-3608.