Purple corn can stave off diabetes, kidney disease

Researchers from the Hallym University in South Korea investigated the cellular and molecular activity of purple corn anthocyanins (PCA) to determine whether and how it affects the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN).

The study found that PCA inhibits multiple pathways involved in the development of DN, which may help in developing therapies aimed at type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.

Researcher Min-Kyung Kang and colleagues performed a two-part study, an in vitro experiment investigating the effects of PCA on human endothelial cells cultured under hyperglycemic kidney conditions and another study that investigated the effects of PCA on kidney tissue in diabetic mice.

 

The study found that anthocyanins may be the main biofunctional compound in purple corn and could protect against diabetic nephropathy.

The study was published in the American Journal of Physiology - Renal Physiology.