Antioxidant and Anti-Diabetic Functions of a Polyphenol-Rich Sugarcane Extract

Abstract

Objectives: Dysfunctional metabolism of carbohydrates is a fundamental component of many dietary-related disorders. It has been hypothesized that plant extracts containing high levels of antioxidants may have the ability to stabilize carbohydrate regulation. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a polyphenol-rich sugarcane extract on cellular pathways related to carbohydrate metabolism.

Methods: We evaluated the antioxidant activity of a polyphenol-rich sugarcane extract obtained by a patented hydrophobic extract process and its therapeutic potential to regulate carbohydrate metabolism and protect against metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes.

Results: Quantitative analytical studies support that the polyphenol-rich sugarcane extract has a high concentration of polyphenols and antioxidant compounds. The follow-up cellular studies via Caco-2 cells and dysfunctional β-cell models suggested that the polyphenol-rich sugarcane extract may help deter glucose and fructose uptake in intestinal cells and restore insulin production in dysfunctional β-cells—key functions in managing diabetic conditions.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that sugarcane polyphenols may modulate cellular mechanism in a manner that is beneficial to health.

Keywords:

• Antioxidant
• anti-diabetic
• polyphenol rich sugarcane extract
• cell-based assay
• glucose uptake
• fructose uptake
• insulin restoration

Ethics statement

This work did not include any human subjects or animal experiments.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by The Product Makers, Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia, and CSR-Sugar Australia. In addition, we thank Brunswick Laboratories, Inc. (Southborough, Massachusetts, USA) for their help in conducting antioxidant analysis (phenolic content, ORAC 5.0, and cellular antioxidant assay). The authors would also like to thank Sandy Famulari and Craig Hicks from Analytical Chemistry Services (Melbourne, Australia) for assistance in LC-MS/UV studies.