Diabetes: Cloves improve insulin function, lowers glucose

By Kevin Flatt

One of two studies presented at the Experimental Biology 2006 meeting, in San Francisco, demonstrated that extracts of cloves were found to improve the function of insulin and to lower glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides in people with type 2 diabetes.

Earlier studies had shown these positive effects in laboratory studies; the study presented at Experimental Biology provides the first evidence of these beneficial effects in humans taking the equivalent of one to two cloves per day. Dr. Alam Khan, Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan, a former postdoctoral student and Fulbright Fellow in the Anderson laboratory, reports the first study of the effect of cloves on insulin function in humans. (Medical News Today 9/4/2006).

The clove study involved 36 men and women diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Three groups of patients consumed either one, two or three grams of cloves for 30 days in capsule form, while a fourth consumed none of the spice. At the end of the study, regardless of the amount of cloves consumed, all those who ingested cloves showed a drop in glucose, triglycerides and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. Blood levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol were not affected among the clove eaters. Those who did not ingest cloves experienced no changes. (HealthDay News 5/4/2006).

Dr. Khan says the finding that intake of 1 to 3 grams of cloves per day lowered risk factors of diabetes without changing HDL [cholesterol] concentration suggest strongly that cloves are beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes. (Medical News Today 9/4/2006).

“The people who would benefit the most are those who have impairments in their blood sugar,” said Anderson. “These are the 40 million people with metabolic syndrome who are pre-diabetic, people with type 2 diabetes, and even the severely diabetic and the severely overweight - although they may not benefit as much because the impairments in their insulin are much, much worse.” (HealthDay News 5/4/2006).

Co-authors of the study in addition to Dr. Khan and Dr. Anderson are Dr. Syed Saceed Qadir, Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan, and Dr. Khan Nawaz Khattak, HMC, Hayatabad, Peshawar, Pakistan. The research was supported by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.

“This abstract extends this work to humans and demonstrates that consumption of as little as 1 g of cloves by people with type 2 diabetes leads to improvements in blood sugar, insulin, cholesterol, and triglycerides,” Anderson commented. “The major contribution of this study is that it demonstrated that consumption of cloves may be important in the alleviation of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in humans.” (Medscape Medical News April 4, 2006).

Cloves contains significant amounts of an active component called eugenol, which has made it the subject of numerous health studies, including studies on the prevention of toxicity from environmental pollutants like carbon tetrachloride, digestive tract cancers, and joint inflammation. Clove also contains a variety of flavonoids, including kaempferol and rhamnetin, which also contribute to clove’s anti-inflammatory (and antioxidant) properties. Cloves are an excellent source of manganese, a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C and omega-3 fatty acids and a good source of calcium and magnesium. (WHF The George Mateljan Foundation).

Indian researchers, reporting in the journal Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes, and Essential Fatty Acids in 2000, compared the antioxidant properties of seven spice extracts (garlic, ginger, onion, mint, cloves, cinnamon and pepper). They found the highest antioxidant activities in cloves, followed by cinnamon, pepper, ginger, garlic, mint and onion. The antioxidant activity of these spice extracts were retained even after boiling for 30 min at 100 degrees C, indicating that the active components are not destroyed by heat. (Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes, and Essential Fatty Acids 2000 Feb;62(2):107-10).

References

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com

http://www.healthday.com

Shobana S, Naidu KA. Antioxidant activity of selected Indian spices. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2000 Feb;62(2):107-10.

http://www.whfoods.com

Copyright 2007 Kevin Flatt. Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is presented for information purposes only and is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. It cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment.