Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. An alternative approach to maintaining blood vessel health may be to supplement with an herbal plant popular in indigenous medicine called Phyllanthus emblica, also known as the Indian gooseberry.
Although Type 2 Diabetes is a disease caused by problems controlling blood sugar, 80% of deaths in diabetics are caused by cardiovascular disease. Type 2 diabetics with a history of heart attack are three times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those without type 2 diabetes (1). As a result, finding ways to maintain blood vessel health in type 2 diabetics is of primary importance.
Fortunately, an alternative approach may be to supplement with an herbal plant popular in indigenous medicine called Phyllanthus emblica, also known as the Indian gooseberry (2, 3). In a 2013 study (4), 80 type 2 diabetics (53 men, 27 women) aged 48 to 66 were given one of the following for 12 weeks:
- 500 milligrams of Phyllanthus emblica extract (250 milligrams twice daily)
- 1,000 milligrams of Phyllanthus emblica extract (500 milligrams twice daily)
- 20 milligrams of a statin drug called atorvastatin (10 mg twice daily)
- Placebo
After 12 weeks, the researchers noted the following improvements in a measure of blood vessel health called the Reflection Index (5), where a decrease in the index is an improvement in blood vessel health:
| Indian gooseberry 500 mg daily | 305% decrease (-2.25 to -9.13) |
|---|---|
| Indian gooseberry 1000 mg daily | 375% decrease (-2.11 to -10.04) |
| Atorvastatin 20 mg daily | 311% decease (-2.68 to -11.03) |
| Placebo | 157% increase (-2.32 to -0.90) |
| p-value | < 0.001 |
In addition, blood samples showed significant improvements in levels of Nitric Oxide (which dilates blood vessels), rates of cell damage (MDA), antioxidant levels (GSH), and inflammation (hsCRP):
| Nitric Oxide | MDA | GSH | hsCRP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian gooseberry 500 mg daily | 35.3% increase (32.02 to 43.31) | 27.3% decrease (3.23 to 2.35) | 27.9% increase (437.7 to 560) | 45.4% decrease (2.91 to 1.59) |
| Indian gooseberry 1000 mg daily | 47.3% increase (33.27 to 49.03) | 31.7% decrease (3.35 to 2.29) | 54.4% increase (405.7 to 626.7) | 64.3% decrease (3.50 to 1.25) |
| Atorvastatin 20 mg daily | 80.7% increase (35.24 to 63.69) | 33.1% decrease (3.54 to 2.37) | 53.2% increase (418.8 to 641.8) | 68.6% decrease (3.08 to 0.97) |
| Placebo | 3.6% decrease (39.29 to 37.88) | 2.6% increase (3.47 to 3.56) | 0.9% increase (431.8 to 435.9) | 25.4% decrease (3.94 to 2.94) |
| p-value | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 |
For the researchers, “P. emblica extract may be a good therapeutic alternative to statins in diabetic patients with endothelial dysfunction because it has the beneficial effects of the statins but without the well-known adverse effects of these agents, including myopathy, hepatic dysfunction, and headache” but still do recommend “extensive clinical studies are required in larger numbers of patients to establish the efficacy and safety of P. emblica.”
Source: Usharani, Pingali, Nishat Fatima, and Nizampatnam Muralidhar. “Effects of Phyllanthus emblica extract on endothelial dysfunction and biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study.” Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 6 (2013): 275-284.
© 2013 Usharani et al, publisher and licensee Dove Medical Press Ltd. This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, provided the original work is properly cited.
Click here to read the full text study.
Posted February 19, 2016.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com
References:
- Sowers James R, Epstein M, Frohlich ED. Diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. An update. Hypertension. 2001;37: 1053–1059
- Antony B, Merina B, Sheeba V, Mukkadan J. Effect of standardized Amla extract on atherosclerosis and dyslipidemia. Indian J Pharm Sci. 2006;68:437–441
- Akhtar MS, Ramzan A, Ali A, Ahmad M. Effect of amla fruit (Emblica officinalis Gaertn.) on blood glucose and lipid profile of normal subjects and type 2 diabetic patients. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2011;62:606–616
- Usharani P. Effects of Phyllanthus emblica extract on endothelial dysfunction and biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 2013 Jul 26;6:275-84. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S46341. Print 2013
- Millaesseau SC, Kelly RP, Ritter JM, Chowienczyk PJ. Determination of age related increases in large artery stiffness by digital pulse contour analysis. Clin Sci. 2002;103:371–377.
