Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a growing metabolic disease characterized by insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. Current preventative and treatment strategies for T2DM and insulin resistance lack in efficacy resulting in the need for new approaches to prevent and manage/treat the disease better. In recent years, epidemiological studies have suggested that diets rich in fruits and vegetables have beneficial health effects including protection against insulin resistance and T2DM. Curcumin, a polyphenol found in turmeric, and curcuminoids have been reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory and antidiabetic properties. The current review (I of II) summarizes the existing in vitro studies examining the antidiabetic effects of curcumin, while a second (II of II) review summarizes evidence from existing in vivo animal studies and clinical trials focusing on curcumin’s antidiabetic properties.
Highlights
This study clearly indicates that curcumin treatment has potential as a treatment against obesity, insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)
These studies suggest that treatment of skeletal muscle cells with curcumin resulted in improved glucose uptake and GLUT4 translocation
12, 118 in vitro studies examining the effects of curcumin indicate increased glucose uptake and utilization by skeletal muscle cells and adipocytes, reduced hepatocyte lipid deposition, and inhibition of gluconeogenesis
Summary
Insulin is a protein hormone primarily involved in glucose and nutrient homeostasis [1,2,3]. The mechanism of action of insulin is initiated by binding to its receptor, which is located on the plasma membrane of target cells [1,3,4]. This causes increased receptor tyrosine kinase activity, and subsequent phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate (IRS) [1,3,4]. Polyphenols have been established to have antioxidant properties [22] and possess a variety of other specific biological effects These components have the potential to prevent diseases through mechanisms that are dependent and independent of their antioxidant properties [23,24,25]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
