An anthocyanin-rich extract from Lonicera caerulea improved blood glucose, insulin sensitivity and markers of inflammation in laboratory tests and diabetic mice, but human trials are still needed.
Blue honeysuckle, a dark berry better known in some markets as haskap, is drawing fresh attention from food scientists after a new study in the Journal of Food Science found that an anthocyanin-rich extract from the fruit showed promising blood-sugar-lowering activity in laboratory tests and in diabetic mice. Caihong Zhou and colleagues at the Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences reported that their extract, made from Lonicera caerulea using ultrasound-assisted acidified ethanol extraction and further purified with macroporous adsorption resin, produced measurable improvements across several markers linked to type 2 diabetes. (ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
According to the paper, the extract reached an anthocyanin yield of 2.90mg/g and a purity of 22.10%, then displayed concentration-dependent antioxidant activity in tests against DPPH, ABTS and hydroxyl radicals. It also inhibited alpha-glucosidase, an enzyme that helps break down carbohydrates, with a maximum inhibition rate of 82.79%. In a mouse model of type 2 diabetes induced by a high-fat diet and streptozotocin, the extract lowered fasting blood glucose and glycated serum protein, improved glucose tolerance, reduced insulin resistance and appeared to strengthen insulin sensitivity. (ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
The study adds to a wider body of evidence suggesting that anthocyanins, the pigments that give berries their red, blue and purple hues, may influence glucose control through several pathways. Reviews indexed by PubMed and published in Nutrients and related journals have linked these compounds with inhibition of carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, changes in GLUT4-mediated glucose uptake, suppression of DPP-IV, stimulation of GLP-1, and activation of AMPK, a key cellular energy sensor. Other published work has also tied anthocyanins to the PI3K/Akt pathway, reduced oxidative stress and improved metabolic signalling in diabetic models. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
In the new Journal of Food Science paper, those broader mechanisms were reflected in a set of changes across the liver, blood and pancreas. Zhou and colleagues said the extract reduced inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6, while raising IL-10, improving antioxidant enzyme activity and lowering markers of lipid damage. The treatment also eased hepatic fat accumulation, lessened islet injury and altered the expression of genes involved in glucose production, including PEPCK, G6Pase and Pcx, alongside increased AMPK expression. The authors say those multi-target effects support further development of Lonicera caerulea extract as a potential functional ingredient for managing type 2 diabetes, although human trials would be needed before any practical health claim could be made. (ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
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