Abstract
Intestinal α-glucosidase and α-amylase break down nutritional poly- and oligosaccharides to monosaccharides and
their activity significantly contributes to postprandial hyperglycemia. Competitive
inhibitors of these enzymes, such as acarbose, are effective antidiabetic drugs, but
have unpleasant side effects. In our ethnopharmacology inspired investigations, we
found that wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca), blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), and European blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) leaf extracts inhibit α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzyme activity in vitro and are effective in preventing postprandial hyperglycemia in vivo. Toxicology tests on H9c2 rat embryonic cardiac muscle cells demonstrated that berry
leaf extracts have no cytotoxic effects. Oral administration of these leaf extracts
alone or as a mixture to normal (control), obese, prediabetic, and streptozotocin-induced
diabetic mice attenuated the starch-induced rise of blood glucose levels. The efficiency
was similar to that of acarbose on blood glucose. These results highlight berry leaf
extracts as candidates for testing in clinical trials in order to assess the clinical
significance of their effects on glycemic control.
Key words
diabetes -
α-glucosidase -
α-amylase -
Fragaria vesca
-
Rubus fruticosus
-
Vaccinium myrtillus
- Rosaceae - Ericaceae