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Updated: May 12, 2026

Extraction and Analysis of Taiwanese Green Propolis
Published on: January 7, 2019
Cinnamtannin A2, a tetrameric procyanidin, increases GLP-1 and insulin secretion in mice
Yoko Yamashita1, Masaaki Okabe, Midori Natsume
1Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Hyogo, Japan.
Abstract:
Procyanidins are oligomers and polymers of flavan-3-ols consisting of (-)-epicatechin subunits. In this study, we isolated and purified dimeric, trimeric and tetrameric procyanidins from cacao liquor and investigated their influence on the "incretin effect" as compared to the monomer, (-)-epicatechin in mice. Cinnamtannin A2 specifically increased the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and insulin secretion levels in the plasma after 60 min administration. As evidence of the action of insulin, activation of insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate-1 was observed in the soleus muscle. These results indicate that the intake of cinnamtannin A2 may improve hyperglycemia through an incretin-like effect, accompanied by activation of the insulin-signaling pathway.
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