How do tea and surinam cherry benefit diabetics?

A Brazilian study published in the journal Pharmacognosy Research discovered that tea plant (Camellia sinensis) and Surinam cherry (Eugenia uniflora) extracts have synergistic effects against diabetes. This finding was based on the results of different in vitro assays.

• Treatments for diabetes, such as acarbose and miglitol, involve the inhibition of enzymes in the intestine like alpha-glucosidase that break down carbohydrates into glucose.
• Diabetes complications and other chronic diseases are associated with cell damage and death caused by peroxyl radicals formed from lipid peroxidation. Because of this, antioxidants, which are compounds that neutralize these harmful molecules, are also commonly utilized as antidiabetes treatment.
• The tea plant is rich phytochemicals like flavonols, methylxanthine alkaloids, and polysaccharides that contribute to its biological activities. Meanwhile, Surinam cherry leaves contain large amounts of tannins, oenothein B, gallocatechin, and myricitrin.
• Previous studies have established the antidiabetic effects of drinking tea and eating Surinam cherries, but there are no studies regarding the effects of using these two together.
• In this study, the researchers determined the combined effects of Surinam cherry and tea on alpha-glucosidase activity and the number of free radicals present. Moreover, they also analyzed the phytochemical content of both extracts to identify the compounds that are potentially responsible for their bioactivities.

From these experiments, the researchers saw that combining extracts from Surinam cherries and tea plant increased their ability to inhibit alpha-glucosidase activity and free radicals compared to when they were used separately. They attributed this synergistic effect to the combination of phenolic compounds, chlorophylls A and B, and carotenoids that were present in the extracts. Overall, these results prove that eating Surinam cherries and drinking tea are effective natural remedies against diabetes.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

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Journal Reference:

Vinholes J, Vizzotto M. SYNERGISMS IN ALPHA-GLUCOSIDASE INHIBITION AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF CAMELLIA SINENSIS L. KUNTZE AND EUGENIA UNIFLORA L. ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS. Pharmacognosy Research. 8 February 2017;9(1). DOI:10.4103/0974-8490.197797