Dietary sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) leaf extract attenuates hyperglycaemia by enhancing the secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)

'Suioh', a sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) cultivar developed in Japan, has edible leaves and stems. The sweet potato leaves contain polyphenols such as caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) derivatives. It has multiple biological functions and may help to regulate the blood glucose concentration. In this study, we first examined whether sweet potato leaf extract powder (SP) attenuated hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetic mice. Administration of dietary SP for 5 weeks significantly lowered glycaemia in type 2 diabetic mice. Second, we conducted in vitro experiments, and found that SP and CQA derivatives significantly enhanced glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion. Third, pre-administration of SP significantly stimulated GLP-1 secretion and was accompanied by enhanced insulin secretion in rats, which resulted in a reduced glycaemic response after glucose injection. These results indicate that oral SP attenuates postprandial hyperglycaemia, possibly through enhancement of GLP-1 secretion.