Home Ingredients Portusana® (Purslane Extract for Blood Sugar — Frutarom/IFF)
Cardiovascular

Portusana® (Purslane Extract for Blood Sugar — Frutarom/IFF)

Portulaca oleracea
Evidence Level
Limited
1 Clinical Trial
5 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

Portusana is a branded extract of purslane (Portulaca oleracea), a leafy herb, made by Frutarom. In its one published placebo-controlled trial, 63 adults with type 2 diabetes on one oral glucose-lowering drug took three capsules a day or placebo for 12 weeks. Systolic blood pressure fell more on the extract than on placebo in the whole group. The trial was designed around glucose control, but the abstract reports no HbA1c difference for the whole group; HbA1c differed only in a 'responder' subgroup chosen by whether HbA1c had fallen, which cannot show an effect. Two of the seven authors were affiliated with the maker. Pooled trials of various purslane seeds and extracts report small falls in fasting blood sugar and blood fats, but may not apply to Portusana. Purslane is a high-oxalate plant, and case reports link very large dietary intakes to kidney injury. Portusana is not a treatment for any disease.

Studied Dose Three capsules a day for 12 weeks in the one published trial. The trial abstract does not give the milligram amount; a later pooled analysis lists it as 180 mg/day.
Active Compound Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) extract sold as Portusana by Frutarom. The trial abstract does not describe the plant part, extraction method or standardization.

Benefits

Systolic blood pressure readings

In 63 adults with type 2 diabetes, three capsules a day of Portusana for 12 weeks lowered systolic blood pressure more than placebo in the whole group (-7.5 vs -0.01 mmHg, P < .0001). The trial was designed around glucose control, and the abstract reports no whole-group HbA1c or glucose difference. Two authors were affiliated with the maker, and no repeat trial was found.

Supported by Trial 1

HbA1c readings in the Portusana trial

The abstract reports no HbA1c difference between Portusana and placebo across the whole group. HbA1c fell more on the extract only among 'responders', defined as anyone whose week-12 HbA1c was below baseline (-0.8% vs -0.6%, P = .03). Because that subgroup was chosen by the outcome itself, it cannot show that the extract lowers HbA1c.

Supported by Trial 1

Blood pressure data pooled across purslane products

A pooled analysis of 5 randomized trials of purslane seeds or extracts, including the Portusana trial, found systolic pressure about 3 mmHg lower than control, with very large differences between trials and no overall change in diastolic pressure. Leaving out any one of three trials, the Portusana trial among them, made the systolic result no longer significant.

Supported by Trial 1

Fasting blood sugar data pooled across purslane products

Pooled analyses of randomized trials of purslane seeds and extracts found fasting blood sugar about 6 mg/dL lower than control overall, and about 15 mg/dL lower in adults with type 2 diabetes, with no change in insulin, insulin resistance or HbA1c. These analyses pooled different purslane products, so they do not show what Portusana itself does.

Supported by Trial 1

Cholesterol and triglyceride data pooled across purslane products

In a pooled analysis of trials in adults with type 2 diabetes, purslane products lowered total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and CRP and raised HDL cholesterol versus control. The Portusana trial abstract lists blood lipids among its measures but reports no lipid difference from placebo.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Nutrients in the purslane plant

A food analysis found that fresh purslane leaves contain more alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant omega-3, than spinach, along with vitamin E, vitamin C and glutathione. The Portusana trial abstract does not describe the extract's plant part or composition, so how much of these the extract supplies is not known.

2

Proposed compounds behind glucose effects

The author of a purslane seed study suggested that polyunsaturated fatty acids, flavonoids and polysaccharides might explain the changes seen in blood sugar and blood fats. This was a suggestion, not something the study tested, and it concerned seeds rather than the Portusana extract.

3

Blood pressure: mechanism not studied

The Portusana trial reported a fall in systolic blood pressure but did not study how it happened. No mechanism for this effect has been shown in people.

Clinical trials

1
Purslane Extract (Portusana) in Type 2 Diabetes: 12-Week Placebo-Controlled RCT
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of three capsules a day of a purslane extract (the branded Portusana) or matched placebo for 12 weeks in adults on one oral glucose-lowering drug; two authors were affiliated with the maker, Frutarom Switzerland. (Wainstein et al. 2016, J Med Food)

63 adults with type 2 diabetes at a medical center in Holon, Israel (31 extract, 32 placebo).

Systolic blood pressure fell more on the extract than on placebo in the whole group (-7.5 vs -0.01 mmHg, P < .0001). HbA1c fell more on the extract only in a responder subgroup, defined as anyone whose week-12 HbA1c was below baseline (-0.8% vs -0.6%, P = .03), a subgroup chosen by the outcome itself; the abstract reports no HbA1c difference for the whole group. Adverse events were few, mild and similar between groups.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

In the 12-week Portusana trial, adverse events were few and mild and did not differ from placebo; longer use has not been studied.
Purslane is a high-oxalate food, and oxalate can add to calcium oxalate kidney stones. The trial abstract does not report the extract's oxalate content, so people who have had calcium oxalate stones or have reduced kidney function should ask their doctor before using purslane products.
Two case reports from China described acute kidney injury from oxalate deposits after high dietary intake of purslane; both patients needed dialysis and were discharged after kidney function improved. Case reports cannot show how often this happens.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: the Portusana trial did not study these groups; ask a doctor before use.

Important Drug interactions

Glucose-lowering medicines: the Portusana trial enrolled adults already taking one oral glucose-lowering drug. It reported no whole-group glucose change, but pooled trials of purslane products found lower fasting blood sugar, so monitor blood sugar if you combine them.
Blood pressure medicines: systolic pressure fell 7.5 mmHg more than on placebo in the Portusana trial, so effects may add to those of antihypertensive drugs.
No formal drug interaction studies of Portusana or purslane were identified; tell your doctor or pharmacist before combining it with prescription medicines.

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Frequently asked questions about Portusana® (Purslane Extract for Blood Sugar — Frutarom/IFF)

What is Portusana used for?

Portusana is a branded purslane extract sold as a supplement ingredient. In its one published placebo-controlled trial, in adults with type 2 diabetes, it lowered systolic blood pressure more than placebo over 12 weeks. That trial reported no HbA1c difference for the whole group, so it does not show an effect on blood sugar. Ask your doctor before using it alongside prescribed medicines.

What is the recommended dosage of Portusana?

No dose has been established. The published trial used three capsules a day for 12 weeks. The trial abstract does not state the milligram amount; a later pooled analysis lists the trial dose as 180 mg/day. Follow the product label and ask your doctor before starting.

Is Portusana safe, and does it have side effects?

In the 12-week trial, adverse events were few, mild and similar to placebo, and longer use has not been studied. Purslane is a high-oxalate plant, and two case reports linked very high dietary intake to acute kidney injury. People with past calcium oxalate stones or reduced kidney function, and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, should ask a doctor first.

How does Portusana differ from other purslane supplements?

Portusana is one specific extract and has its own trial. Most other purslane research tested whole seeds in gram amounts or different leaf and stem extracts, and pooled results from those products cannot be assumed to apply to Portusana. See our general purslane page for the wider research.

What is Portusana?

Portusana is a branded extract of purslane (Portulaca oleracea), a leafy herb, made by Frutarom. In its one published placebo-controlled trial, 63 adults with type 2 diabetes on one oral glucose-lowering drug took three capsules a day or placebo for 12 weeks.

Does Portusana interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Glucose-lowering medicines: the Portusana trial enrolled adults already taking one oral glucose-lowering drug. It reported no whole-group glucose change, but pooled trials of purslane products found lower fasting blood sugar, so monitor blood sugar if you combine them. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Portusana?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Portusana as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 1 study summary and 9 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(9 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Wainstein J, Landau Z, Bar Dayan Y, Jakubowicz D, Grothe T, Perrinjaquet-Moccetti T, Boaz M. Purslane Extract and Glucose Homeostasis in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Efficacy and Safety. J Med Food. 2016;19(2):133-40. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2015.0090.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the branded extract in 63 adults with type 2 diabetes on one oral glucose-lowering drug: three capsules a day for 12 weeks lowered systolic blood pressure more than placebo in the whole group (-7.5 vs -0.01 mmHg, P < .0001). HbA1c differed only in a responder subgroup defined by a lower week-12 HbA1c (-0.8% vs -0.6%, P = .03); no whole-group HbA1c difference is reported. Adverse events were few, mild and similar between groups. Two authors were affiliated with Frutarom Switzerland, the maker. The reported placebo change (-0.01 ± 0.3 mmHg) has an unusually small spread for a blood pressure change, which the abstract does not explain.
  2. Vajdi M, Tahvilian N, Hassanizadeh S, Jafari M, Askari G. The effects of purslane consumption on blood pressure in adults: A grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluation-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Res Med Sci. 2025;30:54. doi: 10.4103/jrms.jrms_48_24.PubMedUsed to support: Pooled analysis of 5 randomized trials in adults, one of them the Portusana trial (listed in its study table as 180 mg/day): purslane lowered systolic blood pressure by 3.06 mmHg (95% CI -6.02 to -0.11) with very high heterogeneity (I2 = 95.5%) and did not change diastolic pressure overall. In the full text's sensitivity analysis, leaving out any one of three trials (Papoli, Wainstein or Esmaillzadeh) made the systolic result nonsignificant.
  3. Abbasi S, Mashatan N, Farmani E, Khodashenas M, Musazadeh V, Ahrabi SS, Moridpour AH, Faghfouri AH. The effects of purslane (Portulaca oleracea) on glycemic indices: A GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res. 2023;37(12):5529-5540. doi: 10.1002/ptr.7997.PubMedUsed to support: Pooled analysis of randomized trials of purslane products searched to December 2022: fasting blood glucose fell by 6.37 mg/dL (95% CI -9.34 to -3.40) versus control, with no significant effect on insulin, HOMA-IR or QUICKI. The authors called for higher-quality, longer trials. Covers purslane in general, not Portusana specifically.
  4. Donglin G, Birjandi R, Esfandabadi FM, Haedi A, Fujiang C. The effects of purslane (Portulaca oleracea) on C-reactive protein, lipid profile, and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat. 2024;175:106917. doi: 10.1016/j.prostaglandins.2024.106917.PubMedUsed to support: Pooled analysis of randomized trials in adults with type 2 diabetes: purslane lowered fasting blood glucose (-15.01 mg/dL), total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and CRP, and raised HDL cholesterol, but did not change insulin, HbA1c or HOMA-IR. Covers purslane in general, not Portusana specifically.
  5. Esmaillzadeh A, Zakizadeh E, Faghihimani E, Gohari M, Jazayeri S. The effect of purslane seeds on glycemic status and lipid profiles of persons with type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled cross-over clinical trial. J Res Med Sci. 2015;20(1):47-53..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized crossover trial in 48 adults with type 2 diabetes of 10 g/day purslane seeds in low-fat yogurt versus yogurt alone for 5 weeks (seeds, not the Portusana extract): systolic blood pressure (-3.33 vs +0.5 mmHg, P = 0.01), triglycerides and weight fell more on seeds, while fasting glucose (P = 0.90), insulin and LDL, HDL and total cholesterol did not differ.
  6. El-Sayed MI. Effects of Portulaca oleracea L. seeds in treatment of type-2 diabetes mellitus patients as adjunctive and alternative therapy. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011;137(1):643-51. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.06.020.PubMedUsed to support: Study of 30 adults with type 2 diabetes in which one group took 5 g of purslane seeds twice daily and the other took metformin 1,500 mg/day; there was no placebo group. Fasting and post-meal glucose, blood fats, liver enzymes, insulin and weight fell in the seed group. The abstract does not report HbA1c. Seeds, not the Portusana extract. The author suggested polyunsaturated fatty acids, flavonoids and polysaccharides as possible active compounds.
  7. Simopoulos AP, Norman HA, Gillaspy JE, Duke JA. Common purslane: a source of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. J Am Coll Nutr. 1992;11(4):374-82. doi: 10.1080/07315724.1992.10718240.PubMedUsed to support: Composition analysis of purslane leaves compared with spinach: purslane had more alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and 100 g of fresh leaves contained about 300 to 400 mg of ALA plus alpha-tocopherol, vitamin C, beta-carotene and glutathione. A food analysis, not a human trial.
  8. Avila-Nava A, Medina-Vera I, Rodríguez-Hernández P, Guevara-Cruz M, Heredia-G Canton PK, Tovar AR, Torres N. Oxalate Content and Antioxidant Activity of Different Ethnic Foods. J Ren Nutr. 2021;31(1):73-79. doi: 10.1053/j.jrn.2020.04.006.PubMedUsed to support: Enzymatic measurement of oxalate in 109 foods: purslane was among the main high-oxalate foods, with raw spinach, huanzontle, chard, almonds and roasted amaranth.
  9. Wang X, Zhang X, Wang L, Zhang R, Zhang Y, Cao L. Purslane-induced oxalate nephropathy: case report and literature review. BMC Nephrol. 2023;24(1):207. doi: 10.1186/s12882-023-03236-9.PubMedUsed to support: Two case reports from China of acute kidney injury attributed to oxalate deposits after high dietary intake of purslane; both elderly patients needed hemodialysis and were discharged after creatinine improved. Case reports show a possible risk, not how often it occurs.