A diet high in fiber, especially soluble fiber, can reduce the carbohydrate absorption rate and, hence, decrease the plasma glucose concentration in diabetic patients
(Messina 1999; Chandalia et al. 2000). Similarly, another studies showed that intake
of soybean dietary fiber increased fecal bile excretion, thus decreased fat absorption
(Jenkins et al. 2003a, b), and, hence, a protective effect on hyperglycemia. Liu et al.
(2016) reported that the physicochemical properties and in vitro binding capacity of
soluble fibers extracted from soy hulls are similar to oat β-glucan which possesses
proven glucose- and cholesterol-lowering properties.
Lee (2006) investigated the effect of soy protein and genistein on the blood
glucose, lipid profile, and antioxidant enzyme activities in streptozotocin-induced
diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats. The results implicated the beneficial role of soy
protein and genistein in diabetes as their supplementation not only increased the
glucokinase level, hepatic superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities but also decreased the HbA1c level of the STZ-induced diabetic
rats. Ascencio et al. (2004) reported that the soy protein intake not only decreases
the accumulation of triglycerides in the liver but also reduces the damaging effects
of lipotoxicity in the liver, which had been recognized as the primary cause of
obesity and related disorders, viz., insulin resistance, heart failure, and type
2 diabetes (Unger 2003; Sharma et al. 2004). In addition, soy protein intake in
diabetic and non-diabetic patients has been reported to reduce the kidney damage
and inflammation by reducing glomerular-filtration rate and improving creatinine
clearance and, thus, holds the potential to be used as a therapeutic agent in the
chronic kidney diseases (Azadbakht et al. 2003; Teixeira et al. 2004; Stephenson
et al. 2005).
Recently, soy isoflavones especially daidzein, commonly found in fermented
soybeans, have been reported to be beneficial in the therapeutic management of
type 2 diabetes (Usui et al. 2013). Several in vitro studies have examined the
antidiabetic and hypoglycemic effects and observed a dose-dependent effect of
daidzein on intracellular glucose uptake in absence of insulin (Cheong et al. 2014)
and inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities (Choi et al. 2010)
and on the mRNA expression of CCL2 and IL6 (pro-inflammatory cytokines) in the
adipocytes (Sakamoto et al. 2016). Also, its supplementation in the lean mice diet led
not only to an increased glucose uptake but also glycogen synthesis in the liver,
heart, and red blood cells (Meezan et al. 2005). Several clinical studies have also
established the role of daidzein and its metabolite equol in the treatment of type
2 diabetes (Ho et al. 2007a, b; Villegas et al. 2008; Nguyen et al. 2017).
Lu et al. (2012) have reported the antidiabetic potential of aglycin, a bioactive
peptide isolated from soybeans, in diabetic BALB/c mice. The authors reported that
by increasing insulin receptor signalling pathway in the skeletal muscle, aglycin
controlled hyperglycemia and improved oral glucose tolerance in the diabetic mice.
Sivakumar and Subramanian (2009) investigated the effect of D-pinitol, a bioactive
component isolated from soybeans, in diabetic rats, and observed that it alters the
activities of key hepatic enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism and, thus,
attenuates the hyperglycemic effect in diabetic rats. Soyasaponins have also been
1 Soybean (Glycine max)
1 7
(Messina 1999; Chandalia et al. 2000). Similarly, another studies showed that intake
of soybean dietary fiber increased fecal bile excretion, thus decreased fat absorption
(Jenkins et al. 2003a, b), and, hence, a protective effect on hyperglycemia. Liu et al.
(2016) reported that the physicochemical properties and in vitro binding capacity of
soluble fibers extracted from soy hulls are similar to oat β-glucan which possesses
proven glucose- and cholesterol-lowering properties.
Lee (2006) investigated the effect of soy protein and genistein on the blood
glucose, lipid profile, and antioxidant enzyme activities in streptozotocin-induced
diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats. The results implicated the beneficial role of soy
protein and genistein in diabetes as their supplementation not only increased the
glucokinase level, hepatic superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities but also decreased the HbA1c level of the STZ-induced diabetic
rats. Ascencio et al. (2004) reported that the soy protein intake not only decreases
the accumulation of triglycerides in the liver but also reduces the damaging effects
of lipotoxicity in the liver, which had been recognized as the primary cause of
obesity and related disorders, viz., insulin resistance, heart failure, and type
2 diabetes (Unger 2003; Sharma et al. 2004). In addition, soy protein intake in
diabetic and non-diabetic patients has been reported to reduce the kidney damage
and inflammation by reducing glomerular-filtration rate and improving creatinine
clearance and, thus, holds the potential to be used as a therapeutic agent in the
chronic kidney diseases (Azadbakht et al. 2003; Teixeira et al. 2004; Stephenson
et al. 2005).
Recently, soy isoflavones especially daidzein, commonly found in fermented
soybeans, have been reported to be beneficial in the therapeutic management of
type 2 diabetes (Usui et al. 2013). Several in vitro studies have examined the
antidiabetic and hypoglycemic effects and observed a dose-dependent effect of
daidzein on intracellular glucose uptake in absence of insulin (Cheong et al. 2014)
and inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities (Choi et al. 2010)
and on the mRNA expression of CCL2 and IL6 (pro-inflammatory cytokines) in the
adipocytes (Sakamoto et al. 2016). Also, its supplementation in the lean mice diet led
not only to an increased glucose uptake but also glycogen synthesis in the liver,
heart, and red blood cells (Meezan et al. 2005). Several clinical studies have also
established the role of daidzein and its metabolite equol in the treatment of type
2 diabetes (Ho et al. 2007a, b; Villegas et al. 2008; Nguyen et al. 2017).
Lu et al. (2012) have reported the antidiabetic potential of aglycin, a bioactive
peptide isolated from soybeans, in diabetic BALB/c mice. The authors reported that
by increasing insulin receptor signalling pathway in the skeletal muscle, aglycin
controlled hyperglycemia and improved oral glucose tolerance in the diabetic mice.
Sivakumar and Subramanian (2009) investigated the effect of D-pinitol, a bioactive
component isolated from soybeans, in diabetic rats, and observed that it alters the
activities of key hepatic enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism and, thus,
attenuates the hyperglycemic effect in diabetic rats. Soyasaponins have also been
1 Soybean (Glycine max)
1 7