Coccinia grandis Improves Glycemic and Lipid Profile Parameters in Type 2 Diabetics

by | Feb 15, 2021 | 2021, Blood Lipids, Blood Sugar, Botanicals, Diabetes

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Supplementation with 500 mg daily of Coccinia grandis (C. grandis) improved glycemic indices and lipid profile parameters in newly diagnosed patients with T2DM.

Coccinia grandis As type 2 diabetes remains one of the most significant healthcare burdens in the world, its prevalence rates estimated at over 700 billion before 2050 1, the need to develop novel antidiabetic agents has only grown 2. Many hypoglycemic drugs today show the ability to regulate glucose levels, but do not necessarily impact mortality rates and moreover, are often accompanied by a number of adverse effects like diarrhea and nausea 3,4. Alternative treatment strategies, such as the use of phytomedicines, are therefore, becoming increasingly attractive. C. grandis, also known as ivy gourd or scarlet gourd, is one of the most promising natural hypoglycemic agents, with several studies documenting its antidiabetic potential based on its capacity to lower intestinal absorption of glucose 5 and restore function of pancreatic beta-cells 6. The presence of various bioactive compounds, including polyphenols and flavonoid alkaloids, are thought to be responsible for the antidiabetic effects of C. grandis 7; however, clinical studies are still needed to validate its clinical performance as a viable hypoglycemic drug for diabetes. In a 2021 study 8 published in Phytomedicine, Wasana and colleagues evaluated the effects of an herbal formulation of C. Grandis on glycemic and lipid profile parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes.

A total of 145 patients recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (aged 30-60 years) were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial in which they were allocated to receive 500 mg of a standardized aqueous leaf extract of C. Grandis or matching placebo once daily for 3 months. At baseline and at the time of follow-up, fasting blood samples were collected and analyzed to determine percentage of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), insulin levels and insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, HOMA-IR), and lipid profile. Measures of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) concentration and serum concentration of fructosamine (glycated protein) were also included.

From baseline to the end of intervention, the C. Grandis group demonstrated significant mean change in a number of glycemic parameters, relative to placebo: HbA1C (mean change = 0.66 vs. 0.06, respectively), insulin (1.91 vs. -1.28), fructosamine (0.02 vs. -0.01), FPG (1.43 vs. 0.04), and HOMA-IR (1.73 vs. -0.37) (p < 0.001 for all). Treatment with C. Grandis was also associated with significant mean change on two indices of lipid profile, TG (0.16 vs. -0.06) and VLDL-C (very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) (0.07 vs. -0.04) (p < 0.001 for both), compared to placebo, from baseline to the end of 3 months. No significant effects of treatment were observed in relation to other study variables. Additional testing of renal and liver toxicity parameters indicated C. Grandis was not linked to adverse physiological effects.

Findings collectively confirm the anti-hyperglycemic activity of the herbal drug C. Grandis and its ability to improve lipid profile in subjects newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The herbal formulation was seen to exert a reduction in mean HbA1C and FPG levels comparable to that of pharmacological hypoglycemic agents (metformin) 9 and appeared to significantly improve TG and VLDL-C after 3 months of treatment. Thus, in addition to being safe and well-tolerated by patients, C. Grandis appears to capably mitigate progression of type 2 diabetes through dual therapeutic actions (management of hyperglycemia and improvement of lipid profile). Prospective trials testing the effects of C. Grandis supplementation in patients with a longer history of diabetes and/or other cardiometabolic disorders and comparing its performance to that of standard hypoglycemic agents are needed. Notable study limitations pertain to a relatively short treatment period and the failure to include an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) as part of glycemic assessment.

Source: Wasana KGP, Attanayake AJ, Weerarathna TP, et al. Efficacy and safety of a herbal drug of Coccinia grandis (Linn.) Voigt in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine. 2021; 81: 153431. DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2020.153431.

© 2020 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Posted February 15, 2021.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

References:

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