Purslane is often considered a weed in the United States, however, around the world it has been used in traditional medicine as a way to reduce inflammation, fight infections, as an analgesic, for improving heart health and more.
Here is how it is used around the world
– Mediterranean and Asian Countries – used as a culinary ingredient in different meals
– Caribbean – Used for shortness of breath and high cholesterol
– China – Used for ‘long life’
Here are clinical trials using natural plant based medicine.
One more benefit of Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) appears to be its ability to lower high blood sugar. Left unchecked high blood sugar can lead to type 2 diabetes.
A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food evaluated the role of Purslane to lower blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Here are the study details
– Study Design: Randomized Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial
– Patients: 63 patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled received either placebo or Purslane.
– Purslane: Participants received a purslane extract at a dose of 180 mg per day of Portusana™ EFLA®308 (Frutarom Switzerland LTD).
Here are the main results after 12 weeks of Purslane
– Purslane decreased systolic blood pressure by an average of 7.5.
– Purslane decreased Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) by 0.8%.
– Purslane did not result in any serious adverse events during the study.
*(One person experienced constipation during the study which was resolved. Other adverse events reported but not found to be caused by Purslane were acute bronchitis, ECG changes, uncontrolled hypertension, and vision disturbance.)
Here are the comments made by the authors of the study
Overall, PE (purslane extract) appears to be a safe means of improving glucose homeostasis in patients with a propensity to respond and reducing blood pressure in T2DM patients.
and
PE (purslane extract) appears to be well-tolerated and to produce its therapeutic effects with fewer and less severe adverse events than pharmaceutical PPARγ-activators.
Take away message
The 180 mg purslane extract used in this study is equivalent to 750 mg dried purslane herb or 15 g fresh herb. The dose used in this study was selected based on the amount of purslane eaten as well as recommendations in the literature of 10 to 30 grams of purslane daily. Here are other clinical trials testing natural ingredients to lower blood sugar.
The mechanism of purslane for reducing blood sugar appears to be by increasing insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake. The results of this study are consistent with other studies that have been performed with purslane, however, more research is needed.
In the meantime, adding purslane to your kitchen may be one way to help control high blood sugar.
Reference
Purslane Extract and Glucose Homeostasis in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Efficacy and Safety. Journal of Medicinal Food. 2016; Volume 19 (Issue 2): 133-40.
His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.
Categories: Blood Pressure, Blood sugar