Fenugreeg seeds decrease blood cholesterol and blood glucose as adjunct to diet therapy in patients with hypercholesterolemia

Background. Hypercholesterolemia, diabetes and obesity are risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and most agencies advise a prudent low fat diet for treatment. Plant health products are rich sources of fiber and flavonoids which are known to inhibit athero-thrombosis due to hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic and insulin sensitivity activating effects. In the present trial, we examine the effects of fenugreek seeds on risk of CVDs. Design and setting. Randomized, double blind, placebocontrolled trial in a hospital. Subjects and Methods. All subjects (n = 61) with hyperlipidemia (<7.76 nmol/l) were assigned to American Heart Association step 1 diet for a period of 12 weeks and then randomized to two different intervention agents in identical sachets for another 12 weeks. The test agents were fenugreek seed powder (60.0g/day) and cellulose placebo (3.g/day). Results: Of 61 subjects with serum cholesterol between 5.17 and 7.76 nmol/1, 59 successfully completed 12 weeks of AHA step I diet and then augmented the diet with one of the fiber or fenugreek supplement for 12 additional weeks. Incremental differences from placebo for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were: -15.1% (P < 0.001) for fenugreek; for total cholesterol -13.4% (P < 0.001) for fenugreek. The incremental differences in triglycerides (significant) for fenugreek were -9.2% (P < 0.001) with a 4.4% (P < 0.05) increase in HDL cholesterol. LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio showed a statistically significant decline from the reference concentrations in the fenugreek group, but no such changes in the control group; the incremental difference was 11.4% (P < 0.001). The incremental differences in fasting and postprandial blood glucose, which showed statistically significant declines in the fenugreek group compared to the control group, were 9.8% (P < 0.05) and 19.4% (P < 0.001), respectively. Compliances to treatment varied between 92% and 99% and only mild gastrointestinal side effects were observed. Conclusions: Treatment with fenugreek seeds revealed statistically significant hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic effects on AHA step 1 diet effects. © 2016 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.