Amygdalin – a natural compound

balancing sugar levels Eli Khayat

משיח סיני ז"ל – אבי הרעיון והיזם

Bitter almond

Sorghum Cassava

Lima Bean

Stone fruitBamboo

Cyanoglucosides in Plants

Bitter almond at 210 nm

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65

4.2

38

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36

Sweet almond at 210 nm

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HPLC analysis of amygdalin in almond samples(whole freeze-dried almonds without skin)

0.5g of crushed almonds were overnight extracted with 10ml methanol.Isocratic mobile phase was 85% ACN and 15% water, flow of 0.7ml/min. Column C18 NovaPak 4m, 4.6x250mm.Amygdalin content was calculated using standard curve of authentic standard

Amygdalin content14.87+/- 0.23 mg/gDW

Amygdalin content1.19+/- 0.06 mg/gDW

Volatiles in crushed almonds

CompoundSweet

Water

Bitter

Water

Sweet

MTBE

Bitter

MTBE

Benzaldehyde 6160903.6970

Cinnamyl alcohol19322.71.6

Benzyl Alcohol0219029

Limonene102.539219

Pinene0224115

I -

I-

Mean Distribution

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Placebo D'Sach

Time in Minutes

• Abstractβ cells sense glucose through its metabolism and the resulting increase in ATP, which subsequently stimulates insulin secretion. Uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) mediates mitochondrial proton leak, decreasing ATP production. In the present study, we assessed UCP2's role in regulating insulin secretion. UCP2-deficient mice had higher islet ATP levels and increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, establishing that UCP2 negatively regulates insulin secretion. Of pathophysiologic significance, UCP2 was markedly upregulated in islets of ob/ob mice, a model of obesity-induced diabetes. Importantly, ob/ob mice lacking UCP2 had restored first-phase insulin secretion, increased serum insulin levels, and greatly decreased levels of glycemia. These results establish UCP2 as a key component of β cell glucose sensing, and as a critical link between obesity, β cell dysfunction, and type 2 diabetes.

 

Uncoupling Protein-2 Negatively Regulates Insulin Secretion and Is a Major Link between Obesity, β Cell Dysfunction, and Type 2 DiabetesChen-Yu Zhang1, György Baffy1, 3, Pascale Perret4, Stefan Krauss1, Odile Peroni1, Danica Grujic1, Thilo Hagen1, Antonio J. Vidal-Puig1, Olivier Boss1, Young-Bum Kim1, Xin Xiao Zheng2, Michael B. Wheeler5, Gerald I. Shulman4, Catherine B. Chan6 and Bradford B. Lowell1, *,     

Cell, Volume 105, Issue 6, 745-755, 15 June 2001

Amygdalin catabolism

β glucosidase

Prunosin

Amygdalin

Conclusions

• Bitter almonds have a positive effect in lowering blood sugar levels

• The effect is short lived

• Amygdalin or its degradation products are most likely the active component

• The mode of action is unclear

• We speculate inhibition of UCP2 uncoupling ?????