一项新的研究显示白藜芦醇——一种可以经常在红酒中找到的化学物质，能够减低人的血糖水平，但也有可能导致一些不利的副作用。这项研究将会在美国临床内分泌医师学会第17期的年会及临床大会上提出，研究者为医学博士Kimberly Martin以及导师F. Ismail-Beigi博士，这次会议将于5月16日星期五，在奥尔兰州的迪斯尼乐园中的海豚圣地召开。白藜芦醇是一种在葡萄中发现的自然产生的化学物质，有报道说它具有保护心脏、抗感染、抗病毒以及降低葡萄糖等作用。在以前，就有很多研究人员报道过白藜芦醇的这种能够降低糖尿病鼠血糖的作用。

这些研究人员的报告显示白藜芦醇可以通过刺激特定组织中的葡萄糖转运来改善高血糖症，这些组织包括骨骼肌组织，因为骨骼肌组织可以表达一种位于葡萄糖运输载体上的对胰岛素比较敏感的Glut4 对碘氧基苯甲醚的化学物质。但是Drs. Martin 和 Ismail-Beigi的研究则显示在表达Glut1对碘氧基苯甲醚的细胞中，白藜芦醇会通过对Glut1运输载体的结合或抑制来阻止血糖的转运。这一点比较重要，因为特定的组织和细胞，如大脑、视网膜、胎盘以及红细胞，都能大量表达这种转运载体。这样，原来所预想的对活体组织Glut1转运载体的抑制作用对于组织的正常功能就显得多余而无益了。

　　“在糖尿病实验动物上能够看到白藜芦醇的降血糖作用是一件令人非常兴奋的事，”马丁博士说。“但它能否抑制正常或糖尿病动物大脑中的葡萄糖转运体的研究仍然还在进行中。”

　　在2008年美国临床内分泌医师学会第17次年会上，糖尿病仍然是会议的焦点。一个名为“临床试验瞄准高血糖症：我们还需要了解什么？”的座谈会将会通对ACCORD, ADVANCE, VADT等在内的研究，来讨论血糖控制对机体的影响。其他相关的会议还包括“胰岛素抵抗和动脉硬化：一组被忽略的联系”“糖尿病：一种心脏疾病”以及“低血糖：糖尿病血糖管理中的限制性因素。”

Understanding Red Wine's Potential Benefit For Diabetes

New research suggests that resveratrol, a chemical commonly found in red wine, has the ability to lower blood sugar levels, but might have certain untoward side effects. This research will be presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 17th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress by Kimberly Martin, MD, and mentor, Dr. F. Ismail-Beigi, on Friday, May 16th, at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort in Orlando.

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring chemical found in grapes that has been reported to have cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and glucose-lowering properties. The effect of resveratrol on lowering blood glucose in diabetic rats has been reported by several investigators in the past.

Their results have shown that resveratrol improves glycemia by stimulating glucose transport in certain tissues including the skeletal muscle that expresses the insulin-sensitive Glut4 isoform of glucose transporters. However, the research by Drs. Martin and Ismail-Beigi shows that in cells expressing the Glut1 isoform, resveratrol blocks glucose transport by binding and inhibiting the Glut1 transporter. This may be of importance because certain cells and tissues, including brain, retina, placenta, and red blood cells express large amounts of this transporter. Hence, the presumed inhibition of the Glut1 transporter in these tissues in-vivo may have undesired and negative effects on their normal function.

"It's exciting to see resveratrol's glucose-lowering effect in diabetic experimental animals," Dr. Martin said. "However, studies are currently underway in our laboratory to determine whether the agent inhibits glucose transport in the brain of normal and diabetic animals."

At the 2008 AACE Annual Meeting, diabetes will be taking center stage. A special symposium titled "Clinical Trials Targeting Glycemia: What Do We Expect to Learn?" will consider the impact of glucose control through studies including ACCORD, ADVANCE, VADT, and others. Other sessions of interest include "Insulin Resistance and Atherosclerosis: The Missing Link," "Diabetes: A Cardiac Condition," and "Hypoglycemia: The Limiting Factor in the Glycemic Management of Diabetes."