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Reducing Blood Sugar with Tea Leaves in Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Animal trial conducted to understand and examine the changes of gut microbiota and hypoglycaemic mechanism of Cyclocarya paliurus polysaccharide on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all those with diabetes. It is a major risk factor for many health complications and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, blindness, and kidney failure. Research has found that the human gut microbiota plays a vital role in obesity and diabetes.

Cyclocarya paliurus is a medicinal plant traditionally used in Chinese medicine to treat obesity and diabetes in China. It has been used in drug formulations in traditional Chinese medicine and has been well researched as an ingredient in healthy foods and dietary supplements in China.

Recent study conducted by the State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, China-Canada Joint Lab of Food Science and Technology (Nanchang), Nanchang University, aimed to gather knowledge on this medicinal plant and its mechanism in altering the gut microbiota and changes in related metabolite profiles in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients.

Corresponding author for this study, Professor Nie Shaoping shared that this is the first direct evidence using an in vivo rat model showing Cyclocarya paliurus modulating both the gut microbiota and the metabolites through a complex network to counter T2DM.

Cyclocarya paliurus polysaccharide treatment increased the beneficial bacteria which was reported to be key for protecting against diabetes.

Further explaining the findings, Pro. Nie said, “In our study, the higher abundance of beneficial bacteria due to Cyclocarya paliurus treatment was involved in the amelioration of T2DM. This was in relation to expression of genes in the pancreas related to inflammation.”

Cyclocarya paliurus polysaccharide also could improve seven metabolism pathways closely with the nutrition metabolism of amino acids and purine, and energy metabolism through the citric acid cycle.”

“Although previous studies showed that Cyclocarya paliurus polysaccharide lowered serum glucose and produced beneficial effects on T2DM in murine models, the effects of this polysaccharide on diabetic related gut microbiota, metabolites, inflammation, pancreatic injuries and serum hormones had not been wholly investigated”, said Dr Hu Jielun, the co-first author for this research.

The outcome of this study presents the specific mechanism by which the Cyclocarya paliurus polysaccharide helps in improving T2DM through connecting networks of gut microbiota and host metabolism. [APBN]