AVOCADO LEAF EXTRACT EFFECT ON PANCREATIC CELL REGENERATION
What is Oxidative Stress?
Oxidative stress is the imbalance of free radicals, also known as ROS, and antioxidants in the body. It specifically occurs when antioxidants are low and the amount of free radicals are too high. When there is an imbalance of too many free radicals it can cause diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer. This condition can also break down important DNA and cell tissue in the body which can cause the body a lot of harm. The best way to get rid of oxidative stress is lowering free radicals. Many scientists are working on a solution to this problem and believe it can possibly be solved with Avocado Leaf extract or bark extract from the avocado tree.
Anti-Inflammatory properties of Avocado Leaf
Avocado leaf extract has become more known to contain an abundance of health properties including vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, and more. It also has polyphenols, serotonin, terpenes, and most importantly flavonoids. Flavonoids are known for their antioxidant properties and are able fight off toxins that may be found in the body. These can help reduce oxidative stress in the body an help with pancreatic cell regeneration.
Anti-diabetic activity of extract from Persea americana Mill - 2021
In 2021 a study was conducted at the Tadulako University in Indonesia done by the Department of Nutrition and Department of Chemistry analyzing the effects of the avocado leaf. The results were released in the where the scientists concluded remarkable findings from the effect of avocado leaf extract on rats that were induced with streptozotocin, a chemical that induces diabetes.
The study was evaluated over a four week time frame and the subjects were male Wistar rats, which are widely used for pharmaceutical testing. They were divided into 5 groups within the subjects that received different amounts of avocado leaf extract, or none. The treatments were delivered orally, on a daily basis. The group who received avocado leaf extract in the highest dosage was shown to have no pancreatic cell damage compared to the subjects who did not receive the extract, which had severe cell damage. The only other subjects who had a scoring of no cell damage was the group who received glibenclamide, which is an anti-diabetic medication.
The results show that avocado leaf extract effectively helped with regeneration of pancreatic tissue in diabetic subjects. Flavonoids, which are found in avocado leaf extract, is a key component on why the extract is so effective. Flavonoids protects cell structures and is also an anti-inflammatory.
The conclusion of the study is as follows:
“The dose of 200 mg/kg body weight of the ethanolic avocado leaf extract contributed the most significant recovery of the pancreatic cell of diabetic white rats induced with streptozotocin, which was equivalent to glibenclamide.”
