Hypoglycemic Effect of Fenugreek Incorporated Therapeutic Food on Selected Diabetic Subjects

Hypoglycemic Effect of Fenugreek Incorporated Therapeutic Food on Selected Diabetic Subjects

Samita Kumari, Mukul Sinha

Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Home Science, Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar 848 125

ABSTRACT

Impact of fenugreek incorporated therapeutic food on blood sugar levels of 24 NIDDM patients was investigated. Therapeutic food was developed from legumes viz., Bengal gram (100 gm), green gram (50g), horse gram (50g), dry peas (50g) and fenugreek seeds (50g). An amount of 30g of product was supplemented to the subjects (N=18) for a period of one month. Both fasting and postprandial blood sugar levels were reduced significantly after the administration of therapeutic food. These results indicate the usefulness of high fiber fenugreek diet in the management of diabetes.

INTRODUCTION

Diabetes mellitus is one of the leading causes of death among chronic diseases. Worldwide the prevalence of diabetes is around 4 percent, which means that over 143 million people are affected1, out of this India has the largest number of diabetic subjects with 23 million cases in 2000, rising to 57 million by the year 20252. To note, most of these diabetic individuals in India shall be in the most productive years of their lives and is a fearful scenario for the country.

Biswas et al3, pointed out that incorporation of fiber in the diet improves the glucose tolerance in diabetes, i.e. foods high in fiber help to control diabetes by reducing the rise in blood sugar after meals and also reduce the amount of insulin required.

Other studies have also indicated that gum (fiber) present in fenugreek seed (40%) is most effective in reducing blood sugar levels. The hypoglycemic action of fenugreek seeds have been shown to be due to reduction in glucose utilization at the peripheral tissues. This in turn is due to the water soluble alkaloid “Trigonelline” which is present in fenugreek seeds4. Therefore an effort has been done to develop a therapeutic food with the combination of pulse and fenugreek together for diabetic subjects. The objectives of the study were: (i) to develop fenugreek incorporated therapeutic food product for diabetic subjects, (ii) to determine nutritional composition of the product, and (iii) to study the impact of the product on blood sugar level of selected subjects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was carried out in the Pusa campus of Samastipur district of Bihar. A total of 24 non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients were selected. For the development of the therapeutic food, raw ingredients selected were legumes, viz., Bengal gram, green gram, horse gram, dry peas and fenugreek seeds. Since legumes are dried beans, peas, green gram and Bengal gram have a low glycemic index (30-40%) and are beneficial to diabetics5.

All these ingredients were processed by soaking, sprouting, drying, roasting, grinding, mixing and then packaged in a polythene bag, which have been shown in Figure 1. The therapeutic food was analysed for nutritional composition. Moisture, crude fiber and carbohydrate contents were tested using the standard procedures of AOAC6. Total ash and crude protein contents were analysed using the procedures of NIN7.

All the selected subjects were divided into two groups; experimental (they were supplemented with therapeutic food, N = 18) and control (they were not supplemented with any therapeutic food, N = 6) group. Subjects comprising experimental group were supplemented with 30g of product per day divided into two equal doses of 15g each in the morning and evening for one month. They were asked to take the product mixed with salt (according to taste) and 100ml of water.

Blood sugar levels (fasting and postprandial) of all the subjects were estimated before and after supplementation. The data obtained was statistically analysed and interpreted.

Figure 1: Various steps in the process of developing the therapeutic food

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Nutritional composition of therapeutic food

Nutritional composition like moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fiber and carbohydrate contents of the food have been presented in Table 1.

Table 1: Nutritional composition of the therapeutic food

Composition (g / 100g)	Value (Mean ± SD)
Moisture	5.73 ± 0.29
Ash	4.11 ± 0.04
Crude fiber	4.78 ± 0.11
Crude protein	19.9 ± 0.94
Carbohydrate	64.14 ± 0.03

Each value is the mean ± SD of six observations

The moisture content of the product was found to be 5.73%. It is the moisture content of the product which determines the storage life of any product. Since the moisture content of the product was below the safe moisture level i.e. 8-12 percent. This indicates that the product may be kept in good condition for long period if stored in tight container. Crude protein (19.94%) and crude (4.78%) contents of the product indicate that the product was rich in these two nutrients.

Hypoglycemic effect of fenugreek incorporated therapeutic food

The mean fasting and postprandial blood sugar levels of subjects belonging to the experimental group at the beginning and end of the study period is presented in Table 2.

Table 2: Impact of therapeutic food on blood sugar levels of experimental subjects (N = 18)

Blood sugar level (mg / dl)	Initial (Mean ± SD)	Final (Mean ± SD)	‘t’ value
Fasting blood sugar levels	136.5 ± 24.88	125.3 ± 19.59	3.52**
Postprandial blood sugar levels	177 ± 29.1	165.2 ± 28.67	4.4**

** Significant at one percent level

It is observed that there is a significant reduction in fasting blood sugar levels of the experimental group after 30 days of supplementation. The reduction ranged from a mean initial value of 136.5 ± 24 mg/dl to 125.3 ± 19 mg/dl and was found to be significant at one percent level.

Postprandial blood sugar levels of the subjects also showed a significant reduction after 30 days of supplementation with therapeutic food. The reduction ranged from a mean initial value of 117 ± 29.1 mg/dl to 165.2 ± 28.67 mg/dl and found to be significant at one percent level.

Blood sugar level of control group

The blood sugar levels of control group are presented in Table 3. There was no significant reduction in the mean fasting and postprandial blood sugar levels of the subjects in the control group, clearly indicating that the beneficial effects observed in the experimental group was due to high fiber fenugreek preparations. It might be due to low glycemic and higher insulin responses of legume preparations or hypoglycemic effect of fenugreek seeds.

Table 3: Blood sugar levels of control group (N = 6)

Blood sugar level (mg / dl)	Initial (Mean ± SD)	Final (Mean ± SD)	‘t’ value
Fasting blood sugar levels	126.6 ± 13.21	133 ± 14.83	1.79NS
Postprandial blood sugar levels	153 ± 9.54	157.8 ± 9.6	1.66NS

NS- Not significant

Table 4 shows the comparison between crude and adjusted odds ratios. Variables like tobacco use, overweight / Obesity, alcohol consumption and length of police service retained their significant role as potential risk factors for hypertension among the policemen even after adjustment with other factors, suggesting their independent positive impact on hypertension. Policemen with > 10 years of education were 59% less likely to be hypertensive as compared to those with low level of education (crude odds ratio 0.4, 95%CI 0.25-0.66, p= 0.003). But on adjustment with other variables, education lost its significance as a protective factor (p=0.54). Protective role of physical activity was also not found significant in both crude and logistic models.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Since the whole world is moving towards nature, in present study fenugreek seeds known for a long time for their medicinal qualities were incorporated into high fiber legume preparations and its impact on blood sugar levels of diabetic subjects were evaluated. A total of 24 NIDDM subjects were selected and divided into experimental (75%) and control (25%) group.30g of developed therapeutic food per day was supplemented to the experimental group for a period of one month. The blood sugar levels (fasting and postprandial) of the subjects were estimated before and after supplementation. The result proved that the blood sugar levels in diabetic patients could be reduced effectively through the daily intake of high fiber fenugreek diet.

REFERENCES

1.	Park K, Park T. Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 16th edition, pub. Banareasidas Bhanot, 2000
2.	King H. India has largest number of persons with diabetes. WHO Geneva. Medical Times, Vol. 31(4): April, 2001.
3.	Biswas S, Ranga B. Food habits and role of high fiber diet. The Hindu. Feb 7, 1993.
4.	Kinsky MJ, Joshep B, Sulman FG and Goldschemied AL. Hypoglycemic effect of trigonelline. Lancet 2, 1967:1311.
5.	Raghuram TC, Pasricha S and Sharma RD. Diet and Diabetics. National Institute of Nutrition, ICMR, Hyderabad, 2000.
6.	AOAC, Official methods of analysis. Association of official analytical chemists. 12th Washington DC, 1975.
7.	NIN, Manual of laboratory techniques. ICMR, Hyderabad, 1983.

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