Flaxseed lignan appears to have potential anti-diabetic properties. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) extract as well as (+)-secoisolariciresinol diglucoside and its mammalian derivatives are potent inhibitors ofα-amylase activity.
Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2013 May 15 ;23(10):3007-12. Epub 2013 Mar 16. PMID: 23583514
Laboratoire de Biologie des Ligneux et des Grandes Cultures UPRES EA 1207, Equipe Lignanes des Linacées, Antenne Scientifique Universitaire de Chartres, 21 rue de Loigny la Bataille, F28000 Chartres, France. [email protected]
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the common global diseases. Flaxseed is by far the richest source of the dietary lignans (i.e., secoisolariciresinol diglucoside) which have been shown to delay the development of T2DM in animal models. Herein, we propose the first evidences for a mechanism of action involving the inhibition of the pancreaticα-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) by flaxseed-derived lignans that could therefore constitute a promising nutraceutical for the prevention and the treatment of T2DM.