Chinese Wolfberries (as dietary supplement) may improve vision imperfections caused by Type-2 diabetes..

Wolfberry, commercially called goji berry, is the common name for the  fruit of two very closely related species: Lycium barbarum. 

It is also known as Chinese wolfberry, mede berry, barbary matrimony vine, bocksdorn, Duke of Argyll's tea tree, Murali (in India), red medlar, or matrimony vine.  Unrelated to the plant's geographic origin, the names Tibetan goji and Himalayan goji are in common use in the health food market for products from this plant.

Marketing literature for wolfberry products including several "goji juices" suggest that wolfberry polysaccharides have extensive biological effects and health benefits, although none of these claims have been supported by peer-reviewed research.

Interestingly, now Dingbo "Daniel" Lin a researcher from Kansas State University, is studying wolfberries and their potential to improve damage to the retina. His findings show that the fruit can lower the oxidative stress that the eye undergoes as a result of type-2 diabetes.

Lin and his colleagues have found that wolfberries have high levels of zeaxanthin, lutein, polysaccharides and polyphenolics, which have been shown to improve vision, including the prevention of age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. 

By using type-2 diabetic mice, the researchers are studying the effects of wolfberries on oxidative stress, one of the factors that occurs in diabetic retinopathy.

"I would not say that wolfberries are a medicine, but they can be used as a dietary supplement to traditional treatments to improve vision," Lin said. "Wolfberries have high antioxidant activity and are very beneficial to protect against oxidative stress caused by environmental stimuli and genetic mutations."

Ref : http://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/mar10/wolfberry33010.html

Avosentan lower doses for Overt Diabetic Nephropathy ?

Avosentan (see structure) is a potent, selective endothelin A  receptor blocker and there is convincing evidence that the endothelin system contributes to diabetic nephropathy and cardiovascular disease. Many groups are working with this drug.  Now researchers from Schwabing General Hospital and KfH Kidney Centre, in Munchen, Germany have come out with interesting results, as per claim by the lead researcher, Dr.Johannes Mann, the drug avosentan substantially reduces urinary protein loss in people with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, but the drug causes serious side effects.

Avosentan at either dose (25 & 50 mg) lowered patients' urinary protein excretion by 40%-50% (compared with less than 10% in patients taking placebo), individuals taking the drug experienced a high incidence of serious, sometimes life-threatening side effects. These included complications of fluid overload such as pulmonary edema, as well as congestive heart failure. In addition, there were more deaths in the groups taking avosentan (21 and 17) than in the group taking placebo. 

Dr. Mann noted that the findings from the ASCEND trial highlight the risks and potential benefits of endothelin antagonists in kidney disease patients with proteinuria and will help investigators design future studies to test the drugs' potential. Specifically, lower doses of avosentan may generate more positive results....

Ref : Mann J.F., et. al., J Am Soc Nephrol. 2010 Feb 18.