Elenolic Acid: A Natural Compound from Olives
Recent research has shown that elenolic acid, a natural compound found in olives, can significantly reduce blood sugar levels and support weight loss. This discovery suggests the potential for developing safe and affordable natural products for managing obesity and type 2 diabetes. In studies with obese diabetic mice, elenolic acid improved blood sugar regulation and promoted weight loss, showing effectiveness comparable to, or better than, existing diabetic medications. The compound also stimulates the release of metabolic hormones in the gut, enhancing satiety and reducing food intake. Ongoing research is focused on understanding the compound’s absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion to ensure safety for future clinical trials.
Elenolic Acid’s Impact on Blood Sugar and Weight
New research indicates that oleanolic acid, naturally occurring in olives, may reduce blood sugar levels and aid in weight loss. This could pave the way for affordable, safe natural products to help manage obesity and type 2 diabetes in humans.
Study Findings: After one week of treatment, obese diabetic mice given oral oleanolic acid showed significant weight loss and improved blood sugar regulation compared to those not receiving the compound. The glucose-lowering effect of oleanolic acid was comparable to the injectable medication liraglutide and surpassed that of metformin, a common oral diabetes medication.
Research Context: According to Dongmin Liu, PhD, a professor at Virginia Tech, lifestyle modifications and public health measures have had limited success in combating the rising prevalence of obesity, a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Current obesity drugs are often ineffective for long-term weight maintenance, expensive, and carry potential safety risks. The research aimed to develop safer, more affordable, and convenient agents that target multiple pathways to prevent metabolic disorders and type 2 diabetes.
Focus on Bioactive Compounds
Liu’s team focuses on identifying bioactive compounds from natural sources for diabetes management. They have previously targeted specific molecular mechanisms in the pancreas, muscles, fat tissues, and liver. Given the poor bioavailability of many natural products, the team shifted their focus to targeting metabolic hormone secretion in the gut to regulate metabolism indirectly.
In their new work, researchers identified natural compounds that act on L-cells in the gut, which release two metabolic hormones during meals: GLP-1 and PYY. These hormones promote satiety and prevent overeating while controlling blood sugar levels and metabolism. Elenolic acid, found in mature olives and extra virgin olive oil, was identified as a compound that induces the release of these hormones. It is less expensive to generate elenolic acid by decomposing its precursor, oleuropein than it is to extract it straight from olives, as the researchers did.
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Promising Results in Mice
Oral elenolic acid treatment significantly improved metabolic health in obese diabetic mice, according to tests. After four to five weeks of treatment, the mice showed a 10.7% reduction in obesity, with blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity comparable to healthy lean mice.
Elenolic acid also reduced food intake and promoted weight loss, linked to improved levels of PYY and GLP-1 and reduced agouti-related peptide expression in the hypothalamus. When overexpressed, a peptide linked to aging is known to promote overeating and weight gain.
Conclusion: The study demonstrated that elenolic acid from olives has promising effects on hormone release and metabolic health, particularly under obese and diabetic conditions. The compound appears to mimic the physiological conditions of eating, promoting gut metabolic hormone secretion to regulate energy balance and metabolic health.
Next Steps: The research team is now exploring how elenolic acid exerts its metabolic benefits by analyzing its absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. This research aims to ensure the compound’s safety for future clinical trials.
Reference
“Identification of a Novel Multi-target Bioactive Compound With Anti-obesity and Anti-diabetic Activities” by Hana Alkhalid, Yao Wang, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Dongmin Liu, presented at NUTRITION 2024, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, June 29 – July 2, Chicago.