12-23-2004

"Anthocyanins" May Help Fight Diabetes

Fruit compounds called anthocyanins could help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, suggest preliminary tests on animals.

Anthocyanins, a class of plant pigments responsible for the color of many fruits such as cherries and blackberries, increased insulin production in animal pancreatic cells by 50 per cent, according to the study.

"It is possible that consumption of cherries and other fruits containing these compounds could have significant impact on insulin levels in humans," said study leader Muralee Nair, a natural products chemist at Michigan State University.

Courtesy American Longevity Archives