Goka fruit can attenuate insulin resistance symptoms

A study published in the journal Nutrition Research examined whether the fruit of the goka plant (Acanthopanax senticosus) can improve insulin resistance in obese mice. The study was carried out by researchers at Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences and Kyolin Institute for Chinese Medicine Information in Japan.

• Goka fruit is rich in anthocyanins, which have beneficial effects on obesity and insulin resistance.
• In the study, the researchers hypothesized that goka fruit can improve obesity-associated insulin resistance.
• Obesity-associated insulin resistance is a major risk factor for most metabolic diseases, including dyslipidemia and Type 2 diabetes.
• To test their hypothesis, the researchers fed mice with a high-fat diet to induce obesity.
• Then, they treated the animals with 500 and 1,000 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of goka fruit for 12 weeks.
• The results showed that treatment with goka fruit significantly improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in obese mice.
• It also reduced insulin and liver lipid accumulation and improved lipid metabolism.
• Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation in the liver increased after goka fruit administration.

In conclusion, supplementation with goka fruit can improve obesity-associated insulin resistance and liver fat accumulation by regulating AMPK activity and lipid metabolism.

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Journal Reference:

Saito T, Nishida M, Saito M, Tanabe A, Eitsuka T, Yuan SH, Ikekawa N, Nishida H. THE FRUIT OF ACANTHOPANAX SENTICOSUS (RUPR. ET MAXIM.) HARMS IMPROVES INSULIN RESISTANCE AND HEPATIC LIPID ACCUMULATION BY MODULATION OF LIVER ADENOSINE MONOPHOSPHATE–ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE ACTIVITY AND LIPOGENIC GENE EXPRESSION IN HIGH-FAT. Nutrition Research. October 2016; 36(10): 1090-1097. DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2016.09.004