What are the complications of diabetes? 

Diabetes mellitus is a lifelong metabolism disorder. According to the World Health Organisation, it is a leading cause of blindness, lower limb amputation, kidney failure, heart attack and stroke.

Luteolin, the active ingredient in LutiMax® enhances diabetic management medication to prevent diabetic complications

Luteolin is a bioflavonoid that acts in 2 distinctive ways to help diabetes mellitus patients prevent and cope with its complications:

Figure 1: Luteolin's distinctive preventive and adjunct curative properties.

 

Luteolin has hypoglycemic actions.

a. Luteolin suppresses excess sugar in the blood after meals in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

Luteolin inhibits alpha-glucosidase. It is an anti-hyperglycemic agent that holds back the digestion and absorption of complex carbohydrates. This reduces the rise in blood glucose after meals.

Luteolin’s glucosidase inhibitory potency is stronger than that of Acarbose’s (commonly known as Glucobay), the widely prescribed anti-diabetic drug. Acarbose is used to treat Type 2 diabetes mellitus and, in some countries, pre-diabetes.

b. Luteolin inhibits the absorption of carbohydrates.

Luteolin inhibits alpha-amylase. Although it is less potent than Acarbose, Luteolin reduces the absorption of carbohydrates. This restrains the increase in rise in serum glucose after meals.

 

Luteolin's anti-inflammatory actions

Diabetic complications originate and develop as a result of inflammatory responses. Luteolin’s strong anti-inflammatory actions are well established in many different settings.

Figure 2: Luteolin's anti-flammatory actions are used for the prevention and adjunct treatment of these diabetic complications.

 

A. Luteolin is used for the prevention and adjunct treatment of diabetes-related tissue injuries.

Impaired glycemic control in diabetes leads to oxidative stress, and numerous micro and neurovascular abnormalities. These include disturbances in microcirculation, capillary hypoxia, and ischemic syndrome. They are relevant for major diabetic complications, such as kidney failure, eye disease, neuropathy (different types of nerve damage), and vasculopathy (atherosclerotic coronary and peripheral vascular disease).

Luteolin and its glycosides possess anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, vasoprotective properties to prevent and treat diabetes-related tissue injuries.

 

B. Luteolin is used for the prevention and adjunct treatment of endothelial injury.

Xanthine oxidase is considered to be the most prominent biological source of harmful superoxide radicals. Luteolin is a strong competitive inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. Luteolin protects against endothelial injury induced by hydrogen peroxide and linoleic acid hydroperoxide.

Figure 3: Stages of endothelial injury

 

C. Luteolin is used for the prevention and adjunct treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. Luteolin and its glycosides strengthen capillary walls and reduce capillary permeability. This diminishes retinal edema from diabetic retinopathy.

Figure 4: Diabetic retinopathy

 

D. Luteolin is used for the prevention and adjunct treatment of micro capillary thrombosis.

Luteolin and its glycosides inhibit platelet aggregation and platelet thromboxane synthesis. This helps to reduce micro capillary thrombosis.

Figure 5: Thrombosis

 

Luteolin is a conditionally essential nutrient for patients with diabetes mellitus and its complications.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is an autoimmune disease where patients’ T lymphocytes attack and destroy their pancreatic Beta cells that produce their insulin. Luteolin regulates and moderates abnormal auto reactive T lymphocyte activity. This boosts its ability to accurately identify pancreatic Beta cells as “self” to reduce their targeting and destruction.

In Type 2 diabetes, glucose cannot be absorbed by the body’s cells because the body is either resistant to insulin or the pancreas secretes insufficient insulin. Under these circumstances, Luteolin helps the Beta cells to release higher levels of insulin. It also modulates the T lymphocyte’s calcium and potassium channels to increase the target cells response.

 

Figure 6: Beta cell destruction in Type 1 diabetes

 

How does LutiMax^® help patients cope with diabetes mellitus and its complications? 

On its own, LutiMax^® is not adequate for the treatment of diabetes. Instead, FDA approved medical food LutiMax^®, is a Conditionally Essential Nutrient (CEN) used as an adjunct to support clinically accepted medication used to manage diabetes mellitus and its complications.

LutiMax^® is a unique, proprietary, patented combination of Rutin and Luteolin bioflavonoid mixture designed to produce and maintain high serum concentrations of Luteolin in the body. Luteolin’s hypoglycemic and anti-inflammatory actions effectively enhance clinically accepted diabetic management medication to prevent diabetes mellitus and/or diabetic complications from worsening. This results in healthier patients, from milder disease to better response to treatment, and more importantly, a better quality of life for both the patients, along with their family and caregivers.

LutiMax^® is hypoallergenic and does not react with diabetic management medication to cause side effects. It is suitable for vegetarians.

You may find formulations of luteolin and rutin on the market. However, their concentrations are not optimised. These manufacturers and distributors have breached the patent.

Figure 7: Diabetes mellitus