Ginseng May Affect Blood Sugar Control

VRP Staff

Through its ability to affect free fatty acids, ginseng may improve insulin sensitivity, making the body more responsive to insulin’s effects, a new animal study suggests.

Past evidence indicates that elevated concentrations of plasma free fatty acids (FFA) may cause insulin resistance. Inhibition of the breakdown of fat, on the other hand, reduces FFA availability and improves insulin sensitivity.

In the present study, researchers investigated whether ginseng extract could influence the breakdown (lipolysis) of fat in rat fat cells (adipocytes). Adipocytes were isolated from rat fat tissue and the ability of ginseng to inhibit lipolysis was assessed.

The study showed that insulin inhibited fat lipolysis by 42.4 percent while ginseng inhibited lipolysis by 49 percent. The results also suggest that ginseng exerts its antilipolytic effect through a signaling pathway different from that of insulin. The researchers concluded that ginseng’s ability to inhibit lipolysis—ultimately leading to improved insulin sensitivity—may be mediated in part by the activation of PDE4 (phosphodiesterase 4, an enzyme involved in cell messaging) in rat adipocytes.

Reference:
Wang H, Reaves LA, Edens NK. Ginseng extract inhibits lipolysis in rat adipocytes in vitro by activating phosphodiesterase 4. J Nutr. 2006 Feb;136(2):337-42.