Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0011849 (diabetes)
 277,896 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Pinitol (3-O-methyl-D-chiro-inositol) was identified in putative insulin mediator fractions that have hypoglycemic activity, and appears to mimic the act effects of insulin by acting downstream in the insulin signaling pathway. We evaluated the effect of pinitol therapy in type 2 diabetic patients who were poorly controlled with hypoglycemic drugs, such as sulfonylurea, metformin and/or insulin. Twenty type 2 diabetic patients were enrolled in our study. Fasting glucose, fasting c-peptide, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and HDL- and LDL-cholesterol were checked before and after a 12-week pinitol treatment (20 mg kg(-1)day(-1)). All subjects continued their current medications during the study. Adipocytokines, such as adiponectin, leptin, free fatty acids, and c-reactive protein (CRP) were checked before and after pinitol treatment. After pinitol treatment, fasting glucose, post-prandial glucose levels, and hemoglobin A1c were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Fasting serum adiponectin, leptin, free fatty acid, and CRP levels did not change after pinitol treatment. In the unresponsive group, serum c-peptide levels were higher than in the responsive group. Twelve weeks of pinitol treatment altered glucose metabolism, but not lipid profiles or adipocytokine levels, in type 2 diabetic patients. Additional research is needed to define the physiological and potential therapeutic effects of pinitol administration.
Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2007 Sep
PMID:Effect of pinitol on glucose metabolism and adipocytokines in uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. 1746 6

Cyclitols play a particularly important role in cell functioning because they are involved in ion channel physiology, phosphate storage, signal transduction, cell wall formation, membrane biogenesis, osmoregulation and they have antioxidant activity. They are involved in the cell membranes as a phosphatidyl myo-inositol, an inositol triphosphate precursor, which acts as a transmitter that regulates the activity of several hormones, such as follicle-stimulating hormone, thyrotropin, and insulin. The aim of this paper is to characterize the selected cyclitols: myo-inositol, D-chiro-inositol, and D-pinitol in type-2 metabolic syndrome and diabetes treatment. Results and discussion: Cyclitols have certain clinical applications in the treatment of metabolic syndromes and are considered to be an option as a dietary supplement for the treatment or prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus and type-2 diabetes. Improved metabolic parameters observed after using cyclitols, like myo-inositol, in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome and type-2 diabetes suggest that they may have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system. Pinitol, together with myo-inositol,maybe responsible for improving lipid profiles by reducing serum triglyceride and total cholesterol. Pinitol is also well-researched and documented for insulin-like effects. Myo-inositol, D-chiro-inositol, and D-pinitol indicate a number of therapeutic and health-promoting properties.
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PMID:Health-Promoting Properties of Selected Cyclitols for Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes. 3157 3

Liver lipid accumulation is a hallmark of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), broadly associated with insulin resistance. Inositols (INS) are ubiquitous polyols implied in many physiological functions. They are produced endogenously, are present in many foods and in dietary supplements. Alterations in INS metabolism seems to play a role in diseases involving insulin resistance such as diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome. Given its role in other metabolic syndromes, the hypothesis of an INS role as a supplement in NAFLD is intriguing. We performed a systematic review of the literature to find preclinical and clinical evidence of INS supplementation efficacy in NAFLD patients. We retrieved 10 studies on animal models assessing Myoinosiol or Pinitol deficiency or supplementation and one human randomized controlled trial (RCT). Overall, INS deficiency was associated with increased fatty liver in animals. Conversely, INS supplementation in animal models of fatty liver reduced hepatic triglycerides and cholesterol accumulation and maintained a normal ultrastructural liver histopathology. In the one included RCT, Pinitol supplementation obtained similar results. Pinitol significantly reduced liver fat, post-prandial triglycerides, AST levels, lipid peroxidation increasing glutathione peroxidase activity. These results, despite being limited, indicate the need for further evaluation of INS in NAFLD in larger clinical trials.
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PMID:Inositol and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review on Deficiencies and Supplementation. 3315 26