Reduction of oxidative stress, improved lipid profile and decrea

Reduction of oxidative stress, improved lipid profile and decreased insulin resistance by natural medicine

---by Yan-Jun Xu and Paramjit S. Tappia, Winnipeg, Canada

Oxidative stress is a major cause of cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes (1). Although epidemiological studies have demonstrated that long term intake of Vitamin C and E are associated with reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease, most of the large scale and double-blinded clinical trials have failed to support the beneficial effects of synthetic vitamin preparations. Thus, strategies involving natural sources of anti-oxidants have now become the focus of many research groups including ourselves (2).

Goji berry, also known as wolfberry, has been used for the treatment of diabetes, fatigue and insomnia for hundreds of years in folk medicine. The anti-aging, anti-oxidant, hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects of goji berry have been reported in the literature. Some vegetables also have been reported to lower plasma levels of LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride, as well as reduce insulin resistance and oxidative stress. Okra is a popular vegetable in India; it is also referred to as “lady fingers” in some parts of the world. From both animal studies and clinical trials, okra has been shown to reduce blood glucose in diabetic subjects and decrease the production of reactive oxygen species. Another vegetable, bitter melon, has also been demonstrated to exert beneficial actions in individuals with diabetes and metabolic syndrome. In experimental studies, bitter melon extracts were found to reduce blood glucose in both type I and type II diabetic rats, improve plasma lipid profile and reduce oxidative stress.

In addition to nutritional strategies to combat disease, acupuncture may also emerge as an effective alternative for the reduction of oxidative stress and high blood cholesterol. Recently, some reports indicate that acupuncture can reduce oxidative stress and improve lipid profile in both animal and human studies. However, the mechanisms underlying this action remain to be clearly defined.

Natural health products as well as non-traditional therapeutic approaches may serve as alternative options in the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes. Our group has been interested in determining the beneficial actions of natural products in a variety of cardiovascular diseases. Our recent publications in amino acids and sea buckthorn for diabetic cardiovascular complications (2,3) have also been cited publically (4). Indeed, this is an exciting era for identifying natural health medicines and alternate approaches for disease treatment and prevention.

Reduction of oxidative stress, improved lipid profile and decreased ...

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‎Reduction of oxidative stress, improved lipid profile and decreased insulin
resistance by natural medicine. ---by Yan-Jun Xu and Paramjit S. Tappia,
Winnipeg, ...
 

References

1. Adameova A, Xu YJ, Duhamel TA, Tappia PS, Shan L, Dhalla NS. Anti-atherosclerotic molecules targeting oxidative stress and inflammation. Curr. Pharm. Des. 2009; 15: 3094-107.
2. Xu YJ, Kaur M, Dhillon RS, Tappia PS, Dhalla NS. Health benefits of sea buckthorn for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. J. Function. Food. 2011; 3: 2-12.
3. Tappia PS, Thliveris J, Xu YJ, Aroutiounova N, Dhalla NS. Effects of amino acid supplementation on myocardial cell damage and cardiac function in diabetes. Exp. Clin. Cardiol. 2011; 16: e17-22.
4. NUTRAingredients-usa.com; WebMD; About.com Alternative Medicine.