Plant hormone called abscisic acid found to control blood sugar in diabetics

Abscisic acid, also known as dormin or abscisin II, is a plant hormone that controls a number of developmental processes, including bud dormancy. However, a team of Italian researchers claim to have found another useful benefit of this hormone: control of blood sugar in humans and rats.

Researchers at the University of Genova's School of Medicine claim that abscisic acid may play an important role in managing the blood sugar levels in diabetics. The team says that when consumed in low amounts, abscisic acid help manage glycemia in both rats and humans.

For the study, the researchers derived plant-based extract from fruits and vegetables rich in abscisic acid. The non-diabetic subjects including rats and humans were first administered oral glucose to raise their levels of blood sugar. Next, the subjects were either given a placebo, a synthetic abscisic acid or an abscisic acid-rich fruit extract.

The researchers found that administering abscisic acid to the subjects helped control glycemia and insulinemia in the blood of rats and humans, suggesting that it helps lower glucose levels and also reduces the amount of insulin released. The team said that their findings reveal how the administration of chronic low-dose abscisic acid may help lengthen the life of the B-cells by controlling the amount of released insulin.

"Mom always said, 'eat your veggies,' and now science backs up this advice,” said Dr. Gerald Weissman, reports Diabetes.co.uk. "High blood sugar levels predict the later consequences of diabetes, and while this hormone may not be a cure for diabetes, it should prove very useful in helping to control progression of the disease."

According to Diabetes Australia, more than 1.7 million Australians suffer from the epidemic of the 21st century. It is estimated that around 280 Australians develop diabetes each day, and it is one of the fastest-growing chronic conditions in the country.

The complete details of the study were published online in the FASEB Journal.

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