Dose Dependent Impact of Germinated Fenugreek Seed Flour Supplementation on Type 2 Diabetics

Hemlata Pandey* and Pratima Awasthi**
*School for Home Sciences, Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Central University, Lucknow
**Department of Foods and Nutrition, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, 263145, Uttarakhand
Email- hemlata.pandey86@gmail.com, Ph-7895510781

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to examine the dose dependent effect of germinated fenugreek seed flour on type 2 diabetics. This case control clinical trial was conducted on 30 type 2 diabetic subjects who were equally divided into 3 groups: experimental group 1 (EG-1), experimental group 2 (EG-2) and control group (CG). The EG-1 subjects were supplemented with20 g germinated fenugreek seed flour in chapatti twice a day and EG-2 patients with 20 g germinated fenugreek seed flour with water four times a day for 60 days.The metabolic parameters studied were fasting glucose, post prandial glucose, serum cholesterol, serum LDL, serum HDL, serum triglycerides, and serum VLDL. Significant reduction was recorded in serum glucose (23%), serum cholesterol (6%), serum LDL (20%) and a slight decrease in serum triglycerides and VLDL. Serum HDL increased significantly by 23 per cent. During the cross over randomized clinical trial, all metabolic parameters except for HDL increased upon stopping the supplementation. Thus, it is concluded that fenugreek seed flour as a low GI food product leads to modest improvement in long-term glycemic and lipidemic control in type 2 diabetics.

Keywords: Type 2 diabetics,Germinated fenugreek seed, VLDL

INTRODUCTION

Recently, under the rapid economic development in advanced countries, lifestyle diseases including metabolic disorders are expanding. The principle of the basic therapeutic policy for these diseases consists of improvement of diet habits and enhancement of physical activities. However, it is difficult to control and change one's established life styles. In such cases, functional foods with therapeutic effects on metabolic disorders are very helpful for the improvement of lifestyle diseases. The importance of diet in diabetes can be traced back to the days of the ancient Ayurvedic physician Sushruta. He reported the consumption of wholesome foods, beside hereditary factors, to be a culprit for the development of diabetes. Indeed, before the discovery of insulin, diet was the only treatment (and was successful at the level of near starvation, for a limited period of time). Today, the pendulum has swung from the starvation diet of Allen to modern high carbohydrate and high fiber diet. Diet has been the sheet anchor in the management of diabetes.

Herbs and spices as medicine have been used for humans from the beginning of evolution; and one of them is fenugreek seeds. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) is a common herb. Its seeds arecommonly used in Indian homes as a condiment. The seed scan be taken as such after overnight soaking in water or inpowder form as a drink in water or buttermilk, 15 minutes before the meal. The fenugreek seed powder can also be incorporated in preparations such as chapati, adai, dhal and vegetables.

However, the seeds are bitter in taste due to presence of bitter saponins which limit their acceptability in foods (Sharma, 1986). It has been possible to debitter fenugreek seeds by employing germination (Shashikala, 1997). Fenugreek has been used for centuries but few studies confirm its efficacy in diabetes treatment. Earlier studies reported that sprouting or overnight soaking and washing of fenugreek seeds in running water removes the bitterness to a certain extent and makes possible its use in increased quantities for incorporation into various preparations which are commonly consumed. The beneficial effects of processing of fenugreek seed may be attributed to an increase in low methoxy salts of Calcium and Magnesium as well as proto-pectin. It is probable that formation of these constituents has a role to play in reducing the blood sugar levels or it may also be likely that an active, hypoglycemic principle might have increased during processing like soaking and germination (Hooda and Jood, 2003).