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Potential of anthocyanin as an anti-inflammatory agent: a human clinical trial on type 2 diabetic, diabetic at-risk and healthy adults

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Abstract

Objective

The present research aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory potential of dietary anthocyanin (ACN) in type 2 diabetic (T2D), T2D-at-risk and healthy individuals. Furthermore, dietary inflammatory index (DII) was used to study the association of diet with biomarkers of inflammation.

Research methods

An open-label clinical trial was conducted at Griffith University investigating the efficacy of 320 mg ACN supplementation per day over the course of 4 weeks. Diabetes-associated inflammatory biomarkers and relevant biochemical and physical parameters were tested pre-and post-intervention, and participants’ dietary inflammatory potential was estimated.

Results

A significant reduction in the pro-inflammatory biomarkers’ interleukin-6, interleukin-18, and tumour necrosis factor-α was observed in the T2D group. In addition, some, but not all, biochemical parameters including fasting blood glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and uric acid were significantly improved in T2D-at-risk group. Moreover, a significant difference was detected between the DII scores of the healthy and T2D groups. DII score for the T2D group was consistent with an anti-inflammatory diet.

Conclusion

Anti-inflammatory potential of dietary ACN in T2D participants was evidenced in the present study. Although, anti-inflammatory dietary patterns of T2D participants may have accelerated the anti-inflammatory effect of the ACN capsules supplemented in this trial.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by Griffith University, School of Medical Science. The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of the trial participants and the assistance of Dr. Anahita Aboonabi (School of Medical Science, Griffith University) with biochemistry assay.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia

    Elham Nikbakht, Indu Singh, Jelena Vider, Lada Vugic, Almottesembellah Gaiz, Avinash Reddy Kundur & Natalie Colson

  2. Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia

    Jelena Vider

  3. Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia

    Jelena Vider

  4. School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia

    Lauren T. Williams

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  1. Elham Nikbakht
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  2. Indu Singh
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Correspondence to Natalie Colson.

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Nikbakht, E., Singh, I., Vider, J. et al. Potential of anthocyanin as an anti-inflammatory agent: a human clinical trial on type 2 diabetic, diabetic at-risk and healthy adults. Inflamm. Res. 70, 275–284 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-021-01438-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-021-01438-1

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