Effect of peas (Pisum sativum) in the treatment of experimental non-insulin-dependent diabetes

• Published in: Phytotherapy research Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 39 - 41
• Main Authors: Tormo, M. A., Ropero, F., Nieto, M., Martinez, I., Campillo, J. E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.02.1997; Wiley
• Subjects: amyase inhibitor; Biological and medical sciences; blood glucose; experimental diabetes; General pharmacology; Medical sciences; peas; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Endocrinopathy; Amylase; Rat; Enzyme; Pharmacognosy; Rodentia; Enzyme inhibitor; Non insulin dependent diabetes; Pea; Vertebrata; Hypoglycemic agent; Mammalia; Leguminosae; Diet; Dicotyledones; Animal; Pisum sativum; Angiospermae; Plant origin; Spermatophyta; Mechanism of action; Pancreas; Vegetable; Food
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1573(199702)11:1<39::AID-PTR939>3.0.CO;2-X

A study was made on the mechanism by which the consumption of peas affects beneficially the glycaemia in a rat model of non‐insulin‐dependent diabetes. With a standard diet, the diabetic rats showed elevated glycaemia throughout the study, varying between 8.3 and 10.0 mmol/L. With the administration of a diet of peas, the glycaemia in the diabetic rats declined significantly from the second day, and stayed at levels near normal for the rest of the study. A significant inhibitory activity of the pancreatic amylase enzyme was detected in the raw pea extract. A possible mechanism of the hypoglycaemic effect of a diet of peas might therefore reside partially in its inhibitory effect on carbohydrate digestion. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.