The Open Nutraceuticals Journal

2009, 2 : 81-85
Published online 2009 April 10. DOI: 10.2174/1876396000902010081
Publisher ID: TONUTRAJ-2-81

Flaxseed Lignan Increased Glucose Uptake by Human Red Blood Cells

Yeong Rhee and Ardith Brunt
351 EML, NDSU Dept. # 2620, PO Box 6050, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, 58108- 6050; Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota.

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to determine if flaxseed lignan (secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, SDG) would improve glucose uptake by human red blood cells (RBCs). To measure glucose uptake of RBCs, the RBCs were pretreated, in vitro, with SDG (0, 10, 50, or 100 µM) and then were incubated with or without insulin (100 µU/ml). After incubation, 3-O-(3H-Methyl)-D-glucose uptake by the RBCs was measured. RBCs pretreated with 50 or 100 µM SDG showed an increase in glucose uptake compared to control (0 µM SDG) or RBCs pretreated with 10 µM SDG (p<0.0001). In addition, glucose uptake was increased in RBCs with insulin stimulation compared to RBCs without insulin stimulation (p<0.0001). An interaction between SDG and insulin was also observed (p<0.0001). Pretreatment of RBCs with SDG (50 or 100 µM) and insulin increased glucose uptake compared to those without insulin stimulation (p<0.0001). The results indicate potential beneficial effects of SDG on glycemic control by increasing glucose uptake of RBCs.

Keywords:

Glucose uptake, flaxseed lignan, SDG.