The Potential Anti-Diabetic Effects of Saskatoon Berry in Experimental Mouse Models

We previously reported that Saskatoon-Berry-Powder (SBP) might have beneficial effects on vascular inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum stress in experimental animals. In a pilot study, we tested various oral doses of SBP and learned that the 5% (w/w) dose seems to have the best effects. This study investigated the impact of dietary intake of SBP at 5% (w/w) on several biochemical factors pertaining to body weight gain, glucose metabolism; lipids, inflammation and organ function over a 4-week study period. The db/db mouse model of type 2 diabetes and their wild-type counterparts (C57BL/6J mice) were used. Body weight, food-intake, whole blood glucose, and plasma total cholesterol levels were significantly higher in the db/db mice as compared with those in C57BL/6J mice. Consumption of SBP did not change the animals’ body weight gain rates or food consumption in either animal model over the experimental course. The SBP-treated db/db mice showed approximately 30% reductions in their blood and urine glucose levels as compared to those in nontreated db/db mice over 4 weeks of experiment. Furthermore, the db/db mice show a different inflammatory-marker profile as compared to that in C57BL/6J mice; treatment with SBP was associated with changes in such profiles mainly in db/db mice. It is not clear which component(s) of SBP is responsible for the effects observed in this study. Future studies warrant identification of such functional components of SBP.