title: Effects of a medical food containing an herbal alpha-glucosidase inhibitor on postprandial glycemia and insulinemia in healthy adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of different doses of Salacia oblonga extract, an herbal alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, on postprandial glycemic, insulinemic, and breath hydrogen responses in healthy adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Double-masked, randomized crossover design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects, after fasting for 12 hours, consumed four test meals consisting of 480 mL of study beverage (14 g fat, 82 g carbohydrate, and 20 g protein) with 0, 500, 700, or 1,000 mg of S oblonga extract on four separate occasions. Capillary finger-prick plasma glucose and venous serum insulin concentrations were measured at baseline and for 2 hours postprandially. Breath hydrogen excretion was measured at baseline and hourly for 8 hours postprandially.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine healthy, nondiabetic adults (body mass index=23.7+/-0.4, age=25.7+/-0.9 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Repeated-measures analysis of variance was applied to the raw data or data that had been transformed (log, rank) when necessary due to nonnormality. The Tukey-Kramer post hoc test was used for pairwise comparisons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the control, the 1,000-mg S oblonga extract dose reduced the plasma glucose and serum insulin incremental areas under the curve (0 to 120 minutes postprandial) by 23% ( P =.32) and 29% ( P =.01), respectively. The other doses of S oblonga extract did not impact glycemia or insulinemia. Breath hydrogen excretion increased linearly as the dose of S oblonga extract was advanced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of S oblonga extract tended to lower postprandial glycemia and significantly reduced the postprandial insulin response. The increase in breath hydrogen excretion suggests a mechanism similar to prescription alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. Future studies of S oblonga extract in patients with diabetes are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Heacock
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hertzler
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Bryan W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001628:Beverages; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001944:Breath Tests; D029753:Celastraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D038321:Glycemic Index; D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019518:Postprandial Period; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases