Effects of Propolis Consumption on Glycemic Indices and Liver Enzymes in Adults: A Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Valuation-assessed Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-analysis.

Even though various randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have assessed the effect of propolis on glycemic indices and liver enzyme concentrations in adults, results have been inconsistent, without conclusive evidence. This systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs sought to evaluate the effects of propolis consumption on glycemic indices and liver enzymes, fasting blood glucose, insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, glycosylated hemoglobin, alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase in adults. Two independent researchers systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for English-language RCTs published up to April 2024. The results were generated through a random-effects model and presented as the weighted mean difference (WMD) with a 95% CI. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for RCTs and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation assessment were used to evaluate quality assessment and certainty of evidence. A total of 21 RCTs were included. A pooled analysis of 24 trials reported that propolis consumption led to a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose (WMD, -9.75 mg/dL; 95% CI, -16.14 to -3.35), insulin (WMD, -1.64 µU/mL; 95% CI, -2.61 to -0.68), glycosylated hemoglobin (WMD, -0.46%; 95% CI, -0.71 to -0.21), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (WMD, -0.54; 95% CI, -0.98 to -0.09), alanine transaminase (WMD, -2.60 IU/L; 95% CI, -4.58 to -0.61), and aspartate aminotransferase (WMD, -2.07 IU/L; 95% CI, -3.05 to -1.09). However, there were no significant effects on gamma-glutamyl transferase in comparison with the control group. This meta-analysis has shown that propolis supplementation may have beneficial effects on glycemic indices and liver enzymes. Future high-quality, long-term RCTs are needed to confirm our results. gov identifiers: CRD42024524763. (Clin Ther. 2024;46:XXX-XXX) © 2024 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc.

Adeli S ，Maroofi M ，Pourteymour Fard Tabrizi F ，Alipour B ，Heidari M ，Vajdi M ，Abbasalizad-Farhangi M ... -  《-》

Effects of l-arginine supplementation on glycemic profile: Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.

The effects of l-arginine supplementation on indices of glycemic control and the role of many factors influencing this intervention have been controversial in clinical trials. This meta-analysis was performed to assess the effects of l-arginine supplementation on indices of glycemic control, including fasting blood glucose (FBG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), serum insulin and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This study conducted a systematic review of RCTs published in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Embase, up to 5 May, 2018. Studies were included in this meta-analysis if they were RCTs with parallel design and reported sufficient data on participants before and after intervention, and outcomes of glycemic profile parameters in both the arginine supplementation and control groups. The screening of titles and abstracts was performed independently by two reviewers. Selected articles were considered if they met the study's inclusion criteria. The quality of included studies was assessed by using the Cochrane Collaboration modified tool. From 710 articles retrieved in the initial search, only 10 trials were suitable for pooling the effects of arginine supplementation on serum glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR and HbA1c levels, with effect sizes of nine, eight, five and five, respectively. Pooled random-effect analysis revealed that l-arginine supplementation could significantly decrease FBG level (weighted mean difference [WMD]: 3.35 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [-6.55, -0.16]; P = 0.04) and serum insulin level (WMD: -2.19 μIU/mL; 95% CI = [-3.70, -0.67]; P = 0.005). However, the effects of l-arginine supplementation on HOMA-IR and HbA1c were not significant. Results of subgroup analysis showed that supplementation with l-arginine could significantly decrease serum insulin levels when the dosage of l-arginine is > 6.5 g/d (WMD: -3.49 μIU/mL; 95% CI = [-5.59, -1.38]; P = 0.001), when the duration of supplementation is ≤ 12.8 weeks (WMD: -3.76; 95% CI = [-6.50, -0.98]; P = 0.008), when the participants are not diabetic patients (WMD: -2.54 μIU/mL; 95% CI = [-4.50, -0.50]; P = 0.01) and when the baseline serum level of insulin was > 20 μIU/mL (WMD: -3.98; 95% CI = [-6.31, -1.65]; P = 0.001). Although the results of this study confirmed that supplementation with l-arginine could have significant effects on some glycemic profile indices of participants in clinical trials, the clinical importance of this reduction may not be meaningful.

Yousefi Rad E ，Nazarian B ，Saboori S ，Falahi E ，Hekmatdoost A ... -  《Journal of Integrative Medicine-JIM》

Effects of Cynara scolymus L. on glycemic indices:A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Cynara scolymus L. (common artichoke) and its products have been considered as potential phytotherapeutic agents for various conditions, such as cardiovascular, hepatic and gastric diseases, among others. Until now, the effects of artichoke and artichoke products administration on glycemic indices have not been sufficiently appraised. The present study evaluated the effects of artichoke and artichoke products administration on the glycemic indices. Clinical trials were identified in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase and Scopus databases; to infinity until 15 March 2020. Weighted mean differences (WMD) were pooled using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity, sensitivity analysis and publication bias were reported using standard methods. Pooled analysis of nine Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), demonstrated that the administration of artichoke and artichoke products led to a significant reduced fasting blood sugar (FBS) (WMD: -5.28 mg/dl, 95 % CI: -8.95, -1.61; p = 0.005). However, other glycemic indeces including fasting insulin (WMD: -0.45 μIU/dL, 95 % CI: -1.14, 0.25; p = 0.20), HOMA-IR (MD: -0.25, 95 % CI: -0.57, 0.07; p = 0.12) or Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (WMD: -0.09, 95 % CI: -0.20, 0.02; p = 0.09) did not alter after the administration of artichoke and artichoke products. A subgroup analysis comparing the kind of intervention, revealed that just the supplementation of artichoke and artichoke products, in a noco-supplementation form, was efficacy for the reduction of Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (WMD: -0.52, 95 % CI: -0.85, -0.19; p = 0.002). The supplementation of artichoke and artichoke products can significantly reduce the FBS concentrations in humans. Moreover, these outcomes suggested that just the supplementation of artichoke and artichoke products is more effective in the reduction of HOMA-IR levels than the co-supplementation form. However, additional clinical trials with longer study periods are necessitated to obtain a robust conclusion for producing new guidelines as part of a healthy diet.

Jalili C ，Moradi S ，Babaei A ，Boozari B ，Asbaghi O ，Lazaridi AV ，Hojjati Kermani MA ，Miraghajani M ... -  《-》

The effects of pomegranate consumption on glycemic indices in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Bahari H ，Ashtary-Larky D ，Goudarzi K ，Mirmohammadali SN ，Asbaghi O ，Hosseini Kolbadi KS ，Naderian M ，Hosseini A ... -  《-》

The effects of astaxanthin supplementation on liver enzyme levels.

Arefpour H ，Rasaei N ，Amini MR ，Salavatizadeh M ，Hashemi M ，Makhtoomi M ，Hajiaqaei M ，Gholizadeh M ，Askarpour M ，Hekmatdoost A ... -  《INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR VITAMIN AND NUTRITION RESEARCH》