In several studies, ciplukan fruit was reported to be able to treat diabetes experienced by mice. Then, what are the benefits for humans? Diabetes is one of the most feared diseases in Indonesia. Data from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia states that diabetes is the third largest cause of death in the country with a percentage of 6.7 percent.
Diabetes is usually treated by taking medication or using insulin given by a doctor. People with diabetes must also improve their lifestyle so that the disease can be controlled.
In addition, in various studies, it was found that ciplukan fruit provides benefits for diabetes sufferers. What are the facts?
A glimpse of Ciplukan
The name ciplukan fruit may still be foreign to some people’s ears. The fruit with the scientific name Physalis angulata is orange and wrapped in thin, paper-like skin.
The taste of ciplukan is slightly sweet and sour. Ciplukan is generally found in rice fields and is often considered a wild plant.
As reported by Healthline, ciplukan contains high amounts of antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to protect and repair damage caused by free radicals.
Free radicals are molecules in the body that are closely related to aging and cancer .
Apart from that, ciplukan has anti-inflammatory benefits. This was tested in research involving mice and said that ciplukan extract could reduce inflammation in the rodents’ bodies.
For more details, 140 grams of ciplukan contains the following ingredients:
1. Calories: 74
2. Carbohydrates: 15.7 grams
3. Fiber: 6 grams
4. Protein: 2,7 gram
5. Fat: 1 gram
Apart from that, ciplukan also contains vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin A, iron, and also phosphorus. With quite a lot of nutritional content, ciplukan is believed to be good for increasing a person’s immunity.
Is it true that ciplukan can help treat diabetes?
According to Dr. Sara Elise Wijono, MRes, several studies have indeed found the benefits of ciplukan fruit for diabetes .
One of them is from a study published by the United States National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) in 2016.
In this study, researchers used 20 male Wistar rats as experimental material.
The mice were divided into four groups, namely one control group that received 0.2 ml of distilled water and the rest were made diabetic. Diabetes itself is caused by high sugar levels in the body.
In the research test, one group of mice made diabetic were given methanol extract of ciplukan.
As a result, the group that received ciplukan extract showed a significant reduction in blood glucose (hyperglycemia).
Apart from that, research conducted by the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) also showed similar results. Researchers tested ciplukan ethanol extract on male Sprague-Dawley rats.
Ciplukan extract treatment carried out for 3 weeks could significantly reduce the blood glucose of mice by 54.5 percent.
Even though he showed positive results, Dr. Sara said that ciplukan cannot be used as a standard diabetes treatment.
“The point is (ciplukan) cannot replace diabetes treatment guidelines as usually recommended by doctors. “If you want to use it as an addition to diabetes medication, you should discuss it first with your respective doctor,” he stressed. Dr. Sara.
From several research examples, ciplukan was found to be useful for lowering diabetes blood sugar levels.
Even so, it is best to just consume ciplukan as a fruit that is included in the list of daily healthy foods.
To control diabetes, you must continue to check and take medication from a doctor. Also consult your doctor about which fruits, including ciplukan, are good to consume for diabetes.