Exploring Stevia rebaudiana: Characterization, Biological Activities, and its Impact on Pancreatic Health
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17720/4nryye48Keywords:
Stevia rebaudiana, Pancreatic disorders, Non-caloric, Sweetener, SugarAbstract
Stevia rebaudiana, a natural, non-caloric sweetener, has gained widespread attention for its
health benefits, particularly in metabolic disorders. This review explores the chemical properties,
biological activities and therapeutic potential of Stevia with a special focus on pancreatic health.
Stevia contains bioactive compounds, mainly steviosides and rebaudiosides, which exhibit
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-diabetic properties. These compounds help
regulate glucose metabolism and improve insulin sensitivity, making Stevia an ideal alternative
to artificial sweeteners for diabetics. Additionally, emerging studies suggest that Stevia promotes
insulin secretion by increasing pancreatic beta-cell function and offers protective effects against
inflammatory pancreatic diseases such as pancreatitis. Despite the numerous benefits, the safety
profile and long-term effects of Stevia use are still being studied, although current evidence
indicates a favorable toxicity profile. This review highlights the potential of S. rebaudiana as a
natural therapeutic agent in diabetes management and supporting pancreatic health while
indicating future research directions to fully realize its therapeutic uses
Downloads
References
Lemus-Mondaca, R., Vega-Gálvez, A., Zura-Bravo, L., & Ah-Hen, K. (2012). Stevia
rebaudiana Bertoni, source of a high-potency natural sweetener: A comprehensive review
on the biochemical, nutritional and functional aspects. Food chemistry, 132(3), 1121-
Samuel, P., Ayoob, K. T., Magnuson, B. A., Wölwer-Rieck, U., Jeppesen, P. B., Rogers, P.
J., ... & Mathews, R. (2018). Stevia leaf to stevia sweetener: exploring its science,
benefits, and future potential. The Journal of nutrition, 148(7), 1186S-1205S.
Assaei, R., Mokarram, P., Dastghaib, S., Darbandi, S., Darbandi, M., Zal, F., ... &
Omrani, G. H. R. (2016). Hypoglycemic effect of aquatic extract of Stevia in pancreas of
diabetic rats: PPARγ-dependent regulation or antioxidant potential. Avicenna journal of
medical biotechnology, 8(2), 65.
Papakonstantinou, E., Oikonomou, C., Nychas, G., & Dimitriadis, G. D. (2022). Effects
of diet, lifestyle, chrononutrition and alternative dietary interventions on postprandial
glycemia and insulin resistance. Nutrients, 14(4), 823.
Gaweł-Bęben, K., Bujak, T., Nizioł-Łukaszewska, Z., Antosiewicz, B., Jakubczyk, A.,
Karaś, M., & Rybczyńska, K. (2015). Stevia rebaudiana Bert. leaf extracts as a
multifunctional source of natural antioxidants. Molecules, 20(4), 5468-5486.
Engwa, G. A., Nweke, F. N., & Nkeh-Chungag, B. N. (2022). Free radicals, oxidative
stress-related diseases and antioxidant supplementation. Alternative Therapies in Health
& Medicine, 28(1).
Rojas, E., Bermúdez, V., Motlaghzadeh, Y., Mathew, J., Fidilio, E., Faria, J., ... &
Kuzmar, I. (2018). Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and its effects in human disease:
emphasizing its role in inflammation, atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome. Current
nutrition reports, 7, 161-170.
Takahashi, M., Mutoh, M., Ishigamori, R., Fujii, G., & Imai, T. (2013, March).
Involvement of inflammatory factors in pancreatic carcinogenesis and preventive effects
of anti-inflammatory agents. In Seminars in immunopathology (Vol. 35, pp. 203-227).
Springer-Verlag.9. Chinsembu, K. C. (2016). Plants and other natural products used in the management of
oral infections and improvement of oral health. Acta tropica, 154, 6-18.
Hanna, D. H., Osailan, R., & Ahmed, H. A. (2023). Stevia rebaudiana methanolic leaf
extract in Egypt: phytochemical analysis, antioxidant, antilipid Peroxidation,
antihemolytic, antimetastatic, and anticancer properties. Journal of Food Biochemistry,
(1), 7161091.
Ameer, K., Jiang, G. H., Amir, R. M., & Eun, J. B. (2020). Antioxidant potential of Stevia
rebaudiana (Bertoni). In Pathology (pp. 345-356). Academic Press.
Ritu, M., & Nandini, J. (2016). Nutritional composition of Stevia rebaudiana, a sweet
herb, and its hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effect on patients with non‐insulin
dependent diabetes mellitus. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 96(12),
-4234.
Chowdhury, A. I., Rahanur Alam, M., Raihan, M. M., Rahman, T., Islam, S., & Halima,
O. (2022). Effect of stevia leaves (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) on diabetes: A systematic
review and meta‐analysis of preclinical studies. Food Science & Nutrition, 10(9),
Zhang, H., & Tsao, R. (2016). Dietary polyphenols, oxidative stress and antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory effects. Current Opinion in Food Science, 8, 33-42.
Jarosz, M., Olbert, M., Wyszogrodzka, G., Młyniec, K., & Librowski, T. (2017).
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of zinc. Zinc-dependent NF-κB signaling.
Inflammopharmacology, 25, 11-24.
Dastghaib, S., Gholizadeh, F., Mokaram, P., & Noorafshan, A. (2022). Stevia aquatic
extract protects the pancreas from streptozocin (STZ) induced damage: A stereological
study. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology (IJEB), 60(05), 299-307.
Shivanna, N., Naika, M., Khanum, F., & Kaul, V. K. (2013). Antioxidant, anti-diabetic
and renal protective properties of Stevia rebaudiana. Journal of Diabetes and its
Complications, 27(2), 103-113.
Eldken, Z. H., Safwat, S. M., Sakr, N. H., El Nashar, E. M., Eissa, H., Gouda, S. I., ... &
Ghaffar, D. M. A. (2023). The possible effects of the aqueous extract of Stevia
Rebaudiana on autophagic clearance and sympathetic nerve density in pancreatic β cells
of type 2 diabetic rats. Journal of Functional Foods, 110, 105822.19. Kurek, J. M., Król, E., & Krejpcio, Z. (2020). Steviol glycosides supplementation affects
lipid metabolism in high-fat fed STZ-induced diabetic rats. Nutrients, 13(1), 112.
Ballali, S., & Lanciai, F. (2012). Functional food and diabetes: a natural way in diabetes
prevention?. International journal of food sciences and nutrition, 63(sup1), 51-61.
Rahman, M. M. (2016). Evaluation of antioxidant activity of Spilanthes calva, Solanum
virginianum, Stevia rebaudiana, Ruellia tuberosa and phytochemical investigation of
Mikania cordata (Doctoral dissertation, East West University).
Masoodi, H. (2020). Effect of polyphenol-rich beverages made with Citrus and maqui
fruits added with low-caloric sweeteners in overweight subjects.
Deligiannidou, G. E., Philippou, E., Vidakovic, M., Berghe, W. V., Heraclides, A.,
Grdovic, N., ... & Kontogiorgis, C. (2019). Natural products derived from the
Mediterranean diet with antidiabetic Activity: From insulin mimetic hypoglycemic to
nutriepigenetic modulator compounds. Current pharmaceutical design, 25(15),
Raspe, D. T., da Silva, C., & da Costa, S. C. (2022). Compounds from Stevia rebaudiana
Bertoni leaves: An overview of non-conventional extraction methods and challenges.
Food Bioscience, 46, 101593.
Tavarini, S., & Angelini, L. G. (2013). Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni as a source of bioactive
compounds: the effect of harvest time, experimental site and crop age on steviol glycoside
content and antioxidant properties. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 93(9),
-2129.
Abdel-Rahman, A., Anyangwe, N., Carlacci, L., Casper, S., Danam, R. P., Enongene, E.,
... & Walker, N. J. (2011). The safety and regulation of natural products used as foods and
food ingredients. Toxicological Sciences, 123(2), 333-348.
Hossain, M. F., Islam, M. T., Islam, M. A., & Akhtar, S. J. A. J. F. (2017). Cultivation and
uses of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni): A review. African Journal of Food,
Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 17(4), 12745-12757.
Pecoits-Filho, R., Abensur, H., Betônico, C. C., Machado, A. D., Parente, E. B., Queiroz,
M., ... & Vencio, S. (2016). Interactions between kidney disease and diabetes: dangerous
liaisons. Diabetology & metabolic syndrome, 8, 1-21.29. Samreen, H., & Dhaneshwar, S. (2023). Artificial sweeteners: perceptions and realities.
Current Diabetes Reviews, 19(7), 131-144.
Katayama, O., Sumida, T., Hayashi, H .,and H., Mitsuhashi, (2018). The practical
application of Stevia and research and development data, I.S.U. Company, Japan.
Voanews, Stevia,sweetener-kenya-farmersnatural/1687992. (Accessed on 23 July, 2015).
Megeji, N.W., Kumar, J.K., Sing, V., Kaul, V.K., and P.S., Ahuja,(2015). Introducing
Stevia rebaudiana, a natural zero-calorie sweetener.
Sumida T, (2013). Studies on Stevia rebaudiana, Bertoni, as a new possible crop for
sweetening resource in Japan (English abstract). Journal of Central Agricultural
Experiment Station.
Madan S, Ahmad S, Singh GN, Kohli K, Kumar Y, Singh ,R .,and M., Garg S.
rebaudiana(Bert.)(2010) A Review. Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources.
Midmore, D.J., and A.H., Rank, A.,(2012). new rural industry-Stevia-to replace imported
chemical sweeteners. A report for the Rural Industries Research and Development
Corporation. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.;
Hossain, M. A., AL-Raqmi, K. A. S., Al-Mijizy, Z. H., Weli, A. M., & Al-Riyami, (2013).
Study of total phenol, flavonoids contents and phytochemical screening of various leaves
crude extracts of locally grown Thymus vulgaris. Asian Pacific journal of tropical
biomedicine, 3(9), 705-710.
Lewis WH (2016). Early uses of S. rebaudiana(Asteraceae) leaves as a sweetener in
Paraguay, Econ Bot.
Fors, A. 2017; 58:30. New character in the sweetener scenario.
Kinghorn ,A.D .,and D.D .,Soejarto, (2012). Current status of stevioside as a sweetening
agent for human use, In: Economic and Medicinal plant research, by H., Wagner, H
.,Hikino, and R .,Farnsworth ,(Eds), Academic Press, London.
Mahmud, S., Akter, S., Jahan, I. A., Khan, S., Khaleque, A., & Islam, S. (2014).
Comparative analyses of stevioside between fresh leaves and in-vitro derived callus tissue
from Stevia rebaudiana Bert. using HPLC. Bangladesh Journal of Scientific and
Industrial Research, 49(4), 199-204.41. Mostofa, M., Rafiq, K., Nishiyama, A., Barman, B.C., and J.S., Sherajee ,(2011).
omparative efficacy of Stevia leaf (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni), methi seeds
(Trigonellafoenumgraecum) and glimepiride in Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.
Bangladesh J. Vet. Med.
Ranjan, R., Jaiswal, J., and J., (2011). Jena Stevia as a natural sweetener. International
Journal of Research in Pharmacy and Chemistry.
Soejarto DD Botany of Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana,). In Kinghorn AD (Eds) Stevia.
Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy University of Illinois at Chicago
USA. 2012; 18-39.
Savita, S., Sheela, K., Sunanda, S., Shankar, A., and Ramakrishna, P., (2004). Stevia
rebaudiana,A functional component for food industry. J. Human Ecol. 15:261–264.
Ramesh. K,,.Singh, V., and N.W., Megeji, Cultivation of S. rebaudiana(Bert.): A
comprehensive review. Rita Elkins., M.H., (2009). Stevia nature’s sweetener (Eds) Stevia,
Woodland Publishing, Inc. 2006; 160: 1-29.
Shukla, S., Mehta, A., Bajpai, V.K., and S., Shukla, (2019). In vitro antioxidant activity
and total phenolic content of ethanolic leaf extract of S. rebaudianaBert. Food and
Chemical Toxicology.
Tadhani, M.B., Patel, V.H., and R., Subhash, (2009). In vitro antioxidant activities of S.
rebaudianaleaves and callus. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 2007; 20: 323–
Dragovi,Uzelac V., Savi, Z., Brala ,A., Levaj, B., Kovaevi, B.D., and A., Bisko, (2010)
Evaluation of phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of blueberry cultivars (Vaccinium
corymbosum L.) grown in the northwest Croatia. Food Technol. Biotechnol.
Basu, 2014. Cultivation and uses of Stevia (Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni): A review.
Grenby, T.H., (2015) Dental aspects of the use of sweeteners. Pure and Applied
Chemistry.
Goyal, S. K., Samsher, N., & Goyal, R. (2010). Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) a
biosweetener: a review. International journal of food sciences and nutrition, 61(1), 1-10.
Schardt., Stevia, - bittersweet tale. Nutrition Action Health letter, 2000 (April); p. 3.53. Lemus-Mondaca, R., Vega-Gálvez, A., Zura-Bravo, L. and Ah-Hen, K. (2012). S.
rebaudiana Bertoni, source of a high-potency natural sweetener: A comprehensive review
on the biochemical, nutritional and functional aspects. Food Chem. 132:1121–1132.
Geuns, J. M. (2003). Stevioside. Phytochemistry, 64(5), 913-921.
Ameer, K., Jiang, G. H., Amir, R. M., & Eun, J. B. (2020). Antioxidant potential of Stevia
rebaudiana (Bertoni). In Pathology (pp. 345-356). Academic Press.
Gasmalla, M. A. A., Yang, R., Amadou, I., & Hua, X. (2014). Nutritional composition of
Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaf: effect of drying method. Tropical Journal of
Pharmaceutical Research, 13(1), 61-65.
Gupta, E., Purwar, S., Sundaram, S., & Rai, G. K. (2013). Nutritional and therapeutic
values of Stevia rebaudiana: A review. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 7(46),
Jeppesen, P. B., Gregersen, S., Poulsen, C. R., & Hermansen, K. (2000). Stevioside acts
directly on pancreatic β cells to secrete insulin: Actions independent of cyclic adenosine
monophosphate and adenosine triphosphate—sensitivie K+-channel
activity. Metabolism, 49(2), 208-214.
Chatsudthipong, V., & Muanprasat, C. (2009). Stevioside and related compounds:
therapeutic benefits beyond sweetness. Pharmacology & therapeutics, 121(1), 41-54.
Ghosh, S., Subudhi, E., & Nayak, S. (2008). Antimicrobial assay of Stevia rebaudiana
Bertoni leaf extracts against 10 pathogens. International Journal of Integrative Biology,
(1), 27-31.
Tadhani, M. B., & Subhash, R. (2006). In vitro antimicrobial activity of Stevia rebaudiana
Bertoni leaves. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 5(1), 557-560.
Wang, T., Wang, J., Hu, X., Huang, X. J., & Chen, G. X. (2020). Current understanding of
glucose transporter 4 expression and functional mechanisms. World journal of biological
chemistry, 11(3), 76.
Ghanta, S., Banerjee, A., Poddar, A., & Chattopadhyay, S. (2007). Oxidative DNA
damage preventive activity and antioxidant potential of Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni)
Bertoni, a natural sweetener. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 55(26), 10962-
Jeppesen, P. B., Gregersen, S., Rolfsen, S. E. D., Jepsen, M., Colombo, M., Agger, A., ...
& Hermansen, K. (2003). Antihyperglycemic and blood pressure-reducing effects of
stevioside in the diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rat. Metabolism, 52(3), 372-378.
Liu, J. C., Kao, P. K., Chan, P., Hsu, Y. H., Hou, C. C., Lien, G. S., ... & Cheng, J. T.
(2003). Mechanism of the antihypertensive effect of stevioside in anesthetized dogs.
Pharmacology, 67(1), 14-20.
Anton, S. D., Martin, C. K., Han, H., Coulon, S., Cefalu, W. T., Geiselman, P., &
Williamson, D. A. (2010). Effects of stevia, aspartame, and sucrose on food intake,
satiety, and postprandial glucose and insulin levels. Appetite, 55(1), 37-43.69. Malik, Muhammad & Islam, Shahriar & Patel, Sanjay & Rasheed, Muhammad & Batool,
Sadia & Nazar, Aasia & Rafique, Tariq & Raza, Muhammad. (2024). An Examination Of
The Research Methodologies Employed In Chemistry Inorganic. European Chemical
Bulletin. 10.53555/ecb.v13:i6.17664.
Joint, F. A. O., WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, & World Health
Organization. (2005). Evaluation of certain food additives: sixty-third report of the Joint
FAO. World Health Organization.
Ali, S., Fatima, L., Ahmad, M. U., Khan, Q. F., Hayyat, M. U., Siddiq, Z., ... & Bourhia,
M. (2024). Green synthesis of Agaricus avensis-mediated silver nanoparticles for
improved catalytic efficiency of tyrosine hydroxylase towards potential biomedical
implications. Discover Life, 54(1), 4.
Malik, Muhammad & Islam, Shahriar & Patel, Sanjay & Rasheed, Muhammad & Batool,
Sadia & Nazar, Aasia & Rafique, Tariq & Raza, Muhammad. (2024). An Examination Of
The Research Methodologies Employed In Chemistry Inorganic. European Chemical
Bulletin. 10.53555/ecb.v13:i6.17664.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Author
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation .
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
