Dose-dependent effects of Fenugreek composite in Diabetes with dislipidaemia

The prevalence of type 2 Diabetes (NIDDM) and obesity have been increasing at epidemic proportions worldwide. It has become a major global health problem in economically developed as well as in countries undergoing rapid economic expansion. Indians due to their genetic preponderance, diet and life style patterns suffer most from diabetic diseases. Evidence showing that even Indian migrants have a high tendency to develop diabetes led to several national epidemiological studies in India. Availability of uniform criteria for diagnosis and classification of diabetes made comparison between the studies possible. These surveys showed that diabetes was as common in urban India as among migrant Indians. The present study is done to see the effects of different doses of fenugreek in type 2 diabetes with dyslipidaemia. 80 patients were chosen from random rural population suffering from mild type 2 diabetes with dyslipidaemia. Fenugreek seed powder was given in the diet in doses of 25 g, 50 g, 75 g and 100 g/day, consumed by the patients in powdered form mixed with water as a drink. Addition of Tulsi (also a mild hypoglycaemic agent) masks the bitter taste of Fenugreek and acts as an anti-diarrhoeal. It was observed that reduction in blood sugar maintained a direct relationship with doses of fenugreek given up to 75 g/day. No significant effects in reduction of blood sugar were observed with further increasing the doses of fenugreek. Serum triglycerides maintain an inverse relationship with increasing doses of fenugreek up to the maximum doses used in the study, that is, 100 g/day. Beneficial changes in lipid profile were observed by the composite, particularly with increase in Fenugreek doses.