Mulberry Powder May Suppress Blood Glucose Rise

SENDAI, JapanOptimizing levels of 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) in mulberry appears to help suppress abnormally high blood glucose levels, possibly helping to prevent diabetes onset, according to a new study (J Agric Food Chem, ePub June 8, 2007; ASAP Article 10.1021/jf062680g S0021-8561(06)02680-X). In the two-pronged investigation, coordinated out of Tohoku University, researchers first determined which cultivars of mulberry leaves would offer maximum concentrations of DNJ; they found young mulberry leaves taken from the top part of branches in summer were optimal. These leaves were then used to create a DNJ-enriched powder (1.5 percent), which was provided to healthy volunteers to determine an optimal dose to suppress postprandial blood glucose. Subjects consumed 0, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 g of DNJ-enriched powder (corresponding to 0, 6, 12 and 18 mg of DNJ, respectively), followed by 50 g of sucrose. Researchers determined a single oral administration of 0.8 and 1.2 g of DNJ-enriched powder significantly suppressed elevation of postprandial blood glucose and secretion of insulin.