Cashew Seed Extract May Serve As Anti-Diabetic

QUÉBEC, CanadaIn Montreal, researchers found cashew seed extract has potential as an anti-diabetic nutraceutical (Mol Nutr Food Res. July 5, 2010). Products of the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) are used in traditional medicine for various ailments, including diabetes, so cashew plant parts were studied using differentiated C2C12 myoblasts (myotubes) and rat liver mitochondria. Hydroethanolic extract of cashew seed and its active component, anacardic acid (AA), stimulated glucose transport into C2C12 myotubes in a concentration-dependent manner. Extracts of other parts (leaves, bark and apple) of cashew plant were inactive. Significant synergistic effect on glucose uptake with insulin was noticed at 100 g/mL of cashew seed extract. Both the seed and AA caused activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase in C2C12 myotubes after six hours of incubation, and exerted significant uncoupling of succinate-stimulated respiration in rat liver mitochondria. No significant effect was noticed on Akt and insulin receptor phosphorylation. Activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase by CSE and AA likely increases plasma membrane glucose transporters, resulting in elevated glucose uptake. In addition, the dysfunction of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation may enhance glycolysis and contribute to increased glucose uptake.