Banaba 20% Powder (25 grams)

Banaba (20% Corosolic Acid) Powder

What is it?
A medicinal plant native to India, the Philippines, and some other parts of Southeast Asia, the leaves of the Banaba (Lagerstroemia Speciosa) plant have been traditionally used in the treatment of hyperglycemia (excessive blood sugar levels) and the endocrine condition, diabetes mellitus (Type II diabetes, also known as Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, NIDDM). The main active agent in the Banaba plant is Corosolic Acid, a triterpenoid known to possess anti-diabetic properties expressed in a dose-dependent reduction in blood sugar levels after oral adminsitration. 1  Beyond Corosolic Acid, the Banaba plant also contains  tannins that contribute to Banaba's blood-glucose lowering effect.2 Certain Banaba Extract supplements contain specific extracts of these tannins. Banaba's mechanism of action is the activation of specialized glucose transport proteins known as Glucose Transporter 4 (GLUT 4). GLUT 4, a specific isoform of the GLUT transport proteins, is found in skeletal muscle cells, in adipose cells, and in cardiac-muscle cells.  Banaba Extract stimulates the translocation of GLUT 4 proteins from the inner cell to the outer or surface cell membrane, inducing the uptake of glucose into skeletal and adipose cells, ultimately leading to the lowering of blood glucose levels. Insulin and exercise also stimulate GLUT 4 activity. Banaba Extract's stimulation of glucose uptake is similar to the action of insulin, yet is independent of insulin levels. Furthermore, Banaba Extract, also appears to inhibit adipocyte differentiation.3  By acting independently of insulin, Banaba Extract reduces the need for the secretion of insulin, leading to enhanced insulin sensitivity.