Artemisia extract ups insulin sensitivity in GDM

(HealthDay)—For women with gestational diabetes mellitus, daily administration of Artemisia extract is associated with improved insulin sensitivity, according to a study published online April 27 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

Xia Sun, M.D., from Qingdao Municipal Hospital in China, and colleagues examined the effects of Artemisia extract on insulin resistance and lipid profiles in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus. One hundred forty-four women in their second trimester of gestation were randomized to Artemisia extract group (AE) or placebo (PO), which they were instructed to consume daily for 10 weeks.

The researchers observed significant reductions in fasting plasma glucose, serum insulin levels, homeostasis model of assessment of insulin resistance, and β-cell function in the AE group compared with the PO group. In the AE group, levels of circulating adiponectin were significantly up-regulated, which contributed positively to improved insulin sensitivity.

"Daily administration of Artemisia extract improves insulin sensitivity by up-regulating adiponectin in women with gestational diabetes mellitus," the authors write.