New Discovery: Rhodiola Rosea Extract Controls Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent endocrine disease in the world, however, there is a great need for alternative therapies given the limitations and side effects of the medications currently used to treat diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent endocrine disease in the world, however, there is a great need for alternative therapies given the limitations and side effects of the medications currently used to treat diabetes.

A team of researchers led by the University of California, Irvine, has found that treatment with extracts from the roots of the Rhodiola rosea plant may be effective in helping to control type 2 diabetes : In a mouse model of type 2 diabetes in humans, rhodiola rosea extract lowered fasting blood glucose levels, improved the response to insulin injections, modulated the composition of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, and reduced several biomarkers of inflammation. This suggests that rhodiola rosea may be a safe and effective non-pharmacological alternative in the future.

The findings were published in Scientific Reports.

The team used a genetically engineered mouse model with signs of obesity, insulin resistance and hyperglycaemia, similar to advanced human type 2 diabetes, to test whether Rhodiola rosea could improve glucose homeostasis. In this study, age-matched groups of male and female mice were randomly assigned to one of two groups: a control group (oral water) or an experimental group (oral Rhodiola rosea extract).

"The incidence of type 2 diabetes and the associated health costs have been steadily increasing in recent decades. Humans have been using plants and natural products to treat disease for thousands of years, and our study suggests that rhodiola is a good candidate for further investigation." Dr Mahtab Jafari, corresponding author of the study and Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UCI, said, "It works by altering the microbiome, which improves the integrity of the intestinal barrier and reduces the transfer of inflammatory molecules to the blood circulation. Gut barrier integrity affects body weight and insulin response, and this plant product may improve the response of liver and muscle tissue to insulin produced by the pancreas."

The team's next step is to conduct larger follow-up studies in different mouse models of obesity-induced diabetes to confirm these findings and investigate the molecular mechanisms involved. Ultimately, Jafari hopes to conduct a clinical trial of rhodiola rosea in patients with type 2 diabetes.

"Our study presents a solid case for the importance of high-quality preclinical studies based on sound methodology to assess the efficacy of standardised plant extracts. We have laid the groundwork for human clinical studies, and our ultimate goal is to improve the health of people with type 2 diabetes." Jafari said.