Posted on 07/26/2012 7:14:48 PM PDT by Innovative
UNIVERSITY of Sydney researchers could be on to a remedy to fight blindness caused by long-term diabetes.
Lead researcher Professor Basil Roufogalis said pharmacy researchers have identified the ancient Tibetan goji berry could help fight diabetic retinopathy.
"Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness for people with diabetes, with up to 60 per cent of people living with either type one or type two diabetes developing chronic hyperglycaemia, a condition which can damage retina cells," he said.
Prof Roufogalis said the goji berry is abundant in taurine.
"We found that goji berry protected against the death of cells caused by high concentrations of glucose in the retina ... the pure taurine found in the extract mimicked the effects of the goji berry extract," he said.
"We are hopeful that these promising results for treating or preventing diabetic retinopathy will lead to human clinical trials."
ping
It’s true. My chickens, who never miss a thing, gobble up my Goji berries like mad. In fact, this year, I have gotten exactly one miserable berry and those little feathered thieves have eaten the entire crop and their eyesight is terrific.
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