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Bush Teas, such as the annatto (Bixa orellano), commonly used
in the Caribbean as a treatment for diabetes, in fact produces from the seeds’red coat a
fatty acid, trans-bixin (C25H30O8), which can inturn
generate free radicals and dog feeding experiments have demonstrated development of
permanent diabetes after 2years of feeding. This diabetogenicity is prevented by
concomitant feeding of Vit B2, Riboflavin, which is itself a free radical scavenger.
Electron microscopy of biopsied material from liver, pancreas and kidney cortex revealed
widespread cell damage with the pancreas demonstrating islet cell damage in particular.
Associated with this was elevated glucose tolerance curves, glucagon and cortisol levels;
and depletion of insulin levels . NB: not all bush teas are so effective and indeed while
some may activate the damage process leading to diabetes,some may further aggravate the
diabetogenic process and others can be ameliorative. The possible end results all depend
on the nature of the antigenic stimuli and hence the genetic determination of the final
endpoints. |
