European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Susruta as early as 700 BC has described the medicinal use of 700 plants for the treatment of various disorders. Another eminent Indian Physician Charak has also described the medicinal value of 1500 plants. Incidentally many of these plants in some form or other are commonly use in Indian diet. Many of them recommended as disinfectant for the intestine, some are known to have important antibiotics properties and tonics. Tulsi, Methi, Haldi, Ginger are considered as outstanding medicines in ancient literature.The valuable properties of onion and garlicobserved particularly, when they are fried together with butter, it was reported that they inhibit the platelet adhesiveness, aggregation and improved fibrinolytic activity. Thus the effect of high fatty diet were neutralized by the addition of onion and garlic. The effect of zinger officinate and seasmumindicum studied on blood sugar and serum cholesterolin different group of albino rats were fed with 30 per cent separately for 1 week and observed that blood sugar increased significantly and cholesterol decreased significantly. There is graded response to a change in dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids then it is conceivable that a high polyunsaturated/ saturated ratio in the diet might favorably modify blood pressure.

Various investigators have demonstrated the hypoglycemic effect of different dietary fibers.The inclusion of wheat bran biscuits in the diet of NIDDM significantly reduces fasting as well as PP blood sugar. Bengal gram, soyabean

protein and gum guggulu are considered to be lowering the serum cholesterol.Looking to the important medicinal value and extensive use of some of these condiments, the present study has been planned to observe the effect of Fenugreek (Methi) on blood pressure, blood sugar, Serum cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure in known patients of mild to moderate essential hypertension and noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

The study was conducted in 10 patients of noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Initially a detailed clinical examination of patients was carried out and all the drugs were discontinued for 2 weeks (washout period). All the patients were administered 2.5 gm. of methi powder twice a day after food with a glass of water daily for 2 months. The blood samples were collected after overnight fast for blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides and 2 hours after food for post prandial blood sugar. These samples were collected before administration of drug, at 4 weeks and at 8 weeks. The blood pressure was measured in ideal resting condition in supine position and standing position before the administration of drug and thereafter at interval of 2 weeks for 8 weeks. The patients were allowed their routine activity and usual diet they were taking. The blood samples were analysed for:1. Blood sugar,2. Serum cholesterol and3. Serum triglycerides. Criteria for selection of noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus:1. Adult of either sex between the age group 18-70 years.2. Patient having established NIDDM controlled on oral hypoglycaemic drugs. Patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus getting off and on diabetic ketoacidosis, NIDDM, overt renal, hepatic disease, renal failure, having chronic infection like tuberculosis and autoimmune disease were excluded from study.

FIGURE 1

Figure 1 shows effect of Fenugreek on blood sugar in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. It shows that administration of Fenugreek had no statistically significant effect on blood sugar. Although there was 4.45 % fall in fasting and 4% fall in post-prandial blood sugar. Out of 10 patients 5 showed fall in fasting and post-prandial blood sugar. One patient showed no effect and 4 patients showed slight increase in blood fasting sugar level and 5 patients showed slight increase in post prandial blood sugar.

FIGURE 2

Figure 2 shows effect of Fenugreek on blood sugar in mild noninsulin diabetes mellitus. All patients showed blood sugar lowering effect on fasting as well post prandial blood group• This sub-group of patient is selected from patients having comparatively low fasting and PP blood sugar. Mean initial fasting blood sugar level was 174.4 mg % which decreased to 142 mg %, which is statistically significant. Mean initial post prandial blood sugar was 246.4 mg % which decreased to 213.6 mg % is also statistically significant.

FIGURE 3

Figure 3 shows no significant effect of Fenugreek on blood pressure in supine position. The mean decrease of 1.47 per cent in systolic and 0.24 per cent in diastolic is not statistically significant.

FIGURE 4

Figure 4 shows no significant effect on Methi (Fenugreek) on blood pressure in standing position. There was mean decrease of 1.92 per cent and 1.89 per cent in systolic and diastolic blood pressure which is statistically insignificant

FIGURE 5

Figure 5 shows the effect of Fenugreek on serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides in patient of noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus. It shows that administration of Methi had no significant effect on serum cholesterol in these patient.Although slight fall was observed in cholesterol level which is around 2.3 per cent. The mean initial value of serum triglycerides was 160.1 mg % and decreased to 158.2 mg % at 8 weeks treatment that is statistically insignificant.

The present study was conducted in 10 patients of NIDD. These patients were observed for blood pressure, blood sugar, serum cholesterol and triglycerides before and after 2 months of 2.5 gms. BD per oral post caebum administration of powdered fenugreek for 8 weeks. The mean initial cholesterol and triglycerides in NIDDM patients were 227.9 and 160 mg per cent respectively which after treatment remain 220 mg per cent and 162 mg per cent, it is not statistically significant. Blood pressure did not show any effect in NIDDM patients. The patient of NIDDM , the mean fasting and post prandial blood sugar at initial week was 219.8mg per cent and 269.6 mg per cent respectively which after treatment became 210 mg per cent and 258.8 mg per cent. When a subgroup of patient having mild diabetes was considered separately, mean fasting and post prandial blood sugar was 174.2 mg per cent and 264.4 mg per cent respectively. It decreased after treatment to 142 mg per cent and 213.6 mg per cent which is statistically significant (p ›0.01) .Thus this may be deducted from the present study that fenugreek has hypoglycaemic effect in mild NIDDM and no significant effect in severe NIDDM

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