Nigerian food features an array of distinct soups, often prepared using different types of local green leaves. Popular examples are egusi soup and bitter leaf soup, along with others that incorporate native vegetable varieties. These dishes not only offer great taste but also provide significant health advantages such as antioxidant properties, essential minerals, and fiber content.
Although potato leaves aren’t frequently discussed because of various factors like local tastes, cooking customs, or limited studies on this particular component within Nigerian food culture, they are recognized for being both edible and nourishing, thus beneficial to one’s well-being.
The leaves of potatoes are prized for their anti-diabetes benefits; indeed, the upper leaves possess these beneficial nutrients at significantly higher levels compared to numerous commercially available vegetables. Multiple studies have demonstrated that this plant contains compounds with antidiabetic effects that reduce blood sugar levels.
A recent study indicates that using a blend of purple sweet potato leaf extract alongside metformin may be more efficient at lowering blood glucose and total cholesterol levels than administering either component individually.
The research examining the impact of combining Purple Sweet Potato Leaf Extract (SPLE) with Metformin on blood sugar and cholesterol levels in diabetic rats was published in the International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology.
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Hyperglycemic diabetic rats showed elevated levels of blood glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), whereas their high-density lipoproteins (HDL) were significantly reduced.
Research conducted at the University of North Sumatra included setting up experiments using diabetic rats split into eight treatment groups. These groups were administered varying dosages of SPLE and metformin over a period of 28 days.
Metformin is prescribed for managing elevated blood sugar associated with type 2 diabetes. Research has extensively explored purple sweet potato leaves as a means to decrease both glucose and cholesterol levels.
Even with traditional antidiabetic medicines available, controlling diabetes continues to be difficult because of medication side effects, significant expenses, and restricted access in poorer areas. A lot of these synthetic treatments mainly aim at alleviating symptoms instead of tackling the fundamental metabolic issues associated with the condition.
As a result, there is an increasing focus on finding natural options, especially functional foods abundant in bioactive substances, that could provide viable approaches for preventing and managing diabetes.
In this research, administering purple sweet potato leaf extract at dosages of 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg, and 800 mg/kg body weight (BW) — either independently or alongside metformin — leads to a notable reduction in blood sugar levels relative to control groups. This decline is measured as statistically significant.
When combined with 800 mg/kg BW extract, metformin led to normalized blood glucose levels; however, either metformin used individually or lower dosages of the extract failed to produce this outcome.
Additionally, the maximum dosage of 800 mg/kg BW, when paired with metformin, brought blood glucose levels down to 93.50 ± 4.93 mg/dL, falling within the typical range for rats.
Likewise, the combined therapy proved more efficacious in lowering total cholesterol levels compared to each treatment used individually.
When combined with metformin, an 800 mg/kg BW extract led to nearly normal cholesterol levels. However, either metformin used individually or smaller dosages of the extract only provided a modest decrease in cholesterol levels.
Earlier, scientists from the University of Jos reported that consuming sweet potato leaves consistently for 28 days considerably reduces the impact on cholesterol levels, overall body fat, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL).
In the American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences, they reported that sweet potato extract at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight for 28 days resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose levels.
This effect was comparable to metformin, which is a standard antidiabetic drug that can effectively reduce fasting blood glucose and total cholesterol levels.
The extract notably lowered the amounts of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol while boosting HDL cholesterol levels. These impacts were comparable to those seen with metformin therapy.
Diabetes can lead to liver dysfunction, as evidenced by elevated levels of liver enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The sweet potato leaf extract also reduced the levels of these liver enzymes, indicating its liver-protective effects.
Additionally, the extract reduced the levels of total and direct bilirubin, which were elevated in diabetic rats.
According to them, the extract significantly increased the levels of total protein and albumin, which are often reduced in diabetic conditions, suggesting that the extract may help in maintaining liver function and overall protein metabolism in diabetes.
The safety and efficacy of sweet potato leaf extract have been evaluated and shown to be safe at the tested doses, with no significant adverse effects observed. Therefore, it is safe as a natural remedy for diabetes.
Specialists proposed that the extract from purple sweet potato leaves decreased blood sugar levels by boosting insulin release and enhancing how the body tissues use glucose.
It achieves this by blocking the enzymes responsible for breaking down carbohydrates and absorbing them, along with decreasing oxidative stress, which frequently plays a role in the development of diabetes.
Nevertheless, additional studies are necessary to assess the long-term safety and efficacy of the extract and to confirm whether sweet potato leaf extract can serve as a beneficial supplementary or alternate treatment for managing diabetes in humans.
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