Elenolic acid, a natural compound found in olives, is a promising treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes.
Researchers from Virginia Tech in the US found that after one week of treatment, in a mouse model of the condition: Elenolic acid It lowers blood sugar levels as well or better than the two main drugs.
“Lifestyle modifications and public health measures have had limited effect on addressing the growing incidence of obesity, one of the greatest risk factors for type 2 diabetes.” To tell Dongmin Liu, a nutritionist at Virginia Tech.
“Currently available obesity medications on the market are ineffective at maintaining weight loss, are expensive and carry potential long-term safety risks. Our goal was to develop a safer, cheaper and more convenient multi-targeted drug that could prevent metabolic disorders and the development of type 2 diabetes.”
Chemical signals play an important role in regulating messages from the gut. Previous research In experiments with mice in Liu’s lab, the team found that elenolic acid stimulates the release of two metabolic hormones that tell the brain when you’re full, helping it know when to stop eating.
One of the hormones is Glucagon-like peptide-1 The other, less well-known, is the GLP-1 receptor that Ozempic and similar drugs mimic to regulate blood sugar and satiety. Peptide YY (PYY) is released from cells in the intestine at the end of a meal to suppress appetite.
Previous research by the team has shown that even a single dose of concentrated elenolic acid stimulates the secretion of GLP-1 and PPY, and when given at a dose of 50 mg/kg per day for two weeks, obese mice fed a high-fat diet achieved glucose tolerance and fasting plasma glucose levels equivalent to those of mice fed a standard diet.
The new study, which has not been peer-reviewed, was published by Hana Alkhaldi, a clinical nutritionist at Virginia Tech. Nutrition 2024 It will be held in Chicago on June 29th.
“We believe that the current state of affairs is a fundamental step forward in the development of novel therapeutics,” Liu, Alkhaldi and colleagues said in their presentation. Abstract Mice with type 2 diabetes and diet-induced obesity were given elenolic acid orally. The dosage, concentration, frequency and duration of treatment have not been disclosed so far, as have the number of mice used in the experiment.
The researchers report After just one week of treatment, the mice’s body weight was significantly reduced and their blood sugar levels were more stable than before treatment, even when compared with mice with the two conditions that were not given elenolic acid.
While GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic disguise themselves as GLP-1 and activate the receptor instead of the real thing, elenoic acid takes an indirect approach, encouraging the body to release more of its own metabolic hormones.
Its effect on blood sugar levels was comparable to that of GLP-1 receptor agonists, according to Liu’s research team. Liraglutidesuperior to antihyperglycemic agents Metformin, It is the first-line hypoglycemic drug for type 2 diabetes.
“Overall, this study demonstrated that olive elenolic acid has promising effects on hormone secretion and metabolic health, especially in obesity and diabetes conditions.” To tell Liu.
“This compound appears to directly stimulate the secretion of metabolic hormones in the gut, mimicking physiological conditions during a meal, which may help regulate energy balance and metabolic health.”
Elenolic acid is found in extra virgin olive oil and ripe olives (olive)However, it can be produced more cheaply by decomposing its precursor. OleuropeinIt is found not only in the skin and flesh of olives, but also in the leaves and seeds.
The researchers say that one would not be able to eat enough olives or drink all the extra virgin olive oil to get the beneficial effects observed in their study, and oleuropein has been purposely removed from most of the olive products we eat because of its bitter taste.
and As in the mouse experiment,However, until further testing is conducted, we won’t really know what effect concentrated elenolic acid will have on humans.
The team is now investigating how elenolic acid affects metabolism by tracking its movement through the body, which may also provide information about its safety. Clinical Trials future.
The preliminary findings have not yet been peer-reviewed, but the studies will be evaluated by a committee of experts and selected for publication.
This study American Academy of Nutrition, Nutrition 2024.
