A naturally produced molecule called resveratrol, found in the
skin of red grapes, has been shown to lower insulin levels in
mice when injected directly into the brain, even when the
animals ate a high-fat diet. The findings from a new UT
Southwestern Medical Center study suggest that when acting
directly on certain proteins in the brain, resveratrol may offer
some protection against diabetes. Prior research has shown that
the compound exerts anti-diabetic actions when given orally to
animals with type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes
mellitus), but it has been unclear which tissues in the body
mediated these effects. “Our study shows that the brain plays an
important role in mediating resveratrol’s anti-diabetic actions,
and it does so independent of changes in food intake and body
weight,” said Dr. Roberto Coppari, assistant professor of
internal medicine at UT Southwestern and senior author of the
study appearing online and in the December issue of
Endocrinology. “These animals were overrun with