What destroys sugar: The biochemical mechanisms of forest gymnosperm and the bioactivity of lecithin

He put a few leaves of *Gymnema sylvestre* in his mouth, held them for a minute or two, then spat them out. Afterward, he drank sugar water and found he couldn't taste any sweetness at all. However, his perception of other tastes remained unaffected. Moreover, this abnormal taste sensation lasted for one or two hours. The substance responsible for this incredible effect was identified by British chemists. About 100 years ago, through extraction with water and various organic solvents, they confirmed that the substance in *Gymnema sylvestre* leaves responsible for this effect was an acid, which they named *Gymnema sylvestre* acid.

How forest gummetic acid prevents us from tasting sweetness is still unclear. One theory suggests that forest gummetic acid has a gluconic acid structure very similar to glucose, allowing it to bind to the sweet-tasting regions on the tongue. Once bound, sweet foods like sugar cannot reach these regions. Another theory proposes that forest gummetic acid doesn't bind directly to the sweet-tasting regions, but rather resides nearby, thus preventing sweet substances from reaching them and binding.

Diabetes is a disease of civilization, easily contracted due to urbanization, excessive nutrient intake, and insufficient exercise. In Japan, the number of diabetes patients has increased dramatically since 1955, and it is now estimated that there are 2 million people with diabetes. Diabetes is also an ancient disease. Records of what is believed to be diabetes date back to ancient Babylon in the 15th century BC. In the 6th century BC, a renowned Indian physician observed two different types of diabetes.

This renowned Indian physician discovered that diabetes not only caused frequent urination but also resulted in sweet-smelling urine, hence the Sanskrit name for the disease "sweet urine." He predated Europeans' discovery (in 1675) of the sweet urine in diabetic patients by over 2000 years. This same physician compiled a collection of 760 ancient Indian herbs. This treatise already documented the use of *Gymnema sylvestre* (forest ginger vine) to treat adult-onset diabetes caused by obesity and overeating.

By this time, it was already known in India that the leaves of the forest ginger vine could mask the taste of sweetness. In the local Hindi language, this plant was called "the sugar destroyer." Diabetes is a disease caused by the insufficient secretion of insulin by the beta cells of the pancreas. Insulin helps the body's cells utilize glucose as an energy source. If insulin is insufficient, cells cannot use glucose, and the liver cannot convert glucose into glycogen for storage.

Because the glucose produced after food is digested and absorbed cannot be used or stored and remains in the blood, the concentration of sugar in the blood increases. If blood sugar levels rise, the liver cannot absorb it in time, and the sugar in the blood will be excreted in the urine, making the urine taste sweet. This is diabetes. Because the body cannot use glucose as an energy source, it begins to "self-consume," that is, it begins to consume substances that make up the body, such as proteins and fats. Symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, increased appetite, thirst, and progressive weight loss.

Furthermore, if blood sugar levels remain high for an extended period, the body's basal metabolism will become imbalanced, leading to complications such as high blood pressure, cataracts, and arteriosclerosis. Diabetics must control their food intake and sugar consumption. Dietary therapy is crucial for diabetes. However, diabetes is a chronic disease that often lasts for years, and eating and craving sweets are often fundamental desires, making long-term dietary control very difficult. If diabetics could enjoy sweets without the sugar being absorbed in the intestines, they could safely indulge in them.

The seeds and bark of Rosaceae plants such as apples, pears, and cherry blossoms contain a substance called flowering hormone. This substance inhibits the absorption of glucose in the intestines. In the group with added physemanic acid, the increase in blood sugar levels was suppressed. Other experiments have also demonstrated that physemanic acid can inhibit the absorption of glucose in the intestines. Moreover, physemanic acid does not have the blood sugar-lowering effect of the diuretic tolbutamide, therefore there is no risk of drowsiness due to a drop in blood sugar levels.

In India, one of the regions where *Gymnema sylvestre* leaves are produced, Professor Radha Shamsakasindram, head of the Biochemistry Laboratory at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, conducted an experiment. He administered GS₄, a component of *Gymnema sylvestre* leaves, to mice with artificially induced diabetes and found that after administration of this component, insulin secretion was almost identical to that of normal mice. In other words, this component can treat diabetes. *Gymnema sylvestre* leaves have been used to treat diabetes in India for over 2500 years.

The above experiments only scientifically demonstrate its effectiveness. "Egg oil" has long been made at home and used as a valuable health supplement. People have long known how to use "egg oil" to improve blood circulation, relieve lower back pain, alleviate fatigue, and restore physical strength. Because "egg oil" can promote blood circulation, it has the effect of delivering nutrients to all parts of the body. The main component of "egg oil" is lecithin, a fundamental substance for life.

"Egg oil" is effective in treating palpitations, asthma, arrhythmia, and angina. In 1844, French scholars isolated nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing fats from egg yolks and named them "LEITHOS," the Greek word for egg yolk. This is the discovery of lecithin. Lecithin, also known as phosphatidylcholine, is the most typical glycerol lipid, formed by the combination of glycerol with fatty acids and phosphocholine. Lecithin is an important component of brain and nerve tissue. In mammals, lecithin accounts for about half of the total phospholipids.