Therapeutic effects of trigonella foenum-graecum extract on fasting blood glucose, tissue glycogen, glycosylated haemoglobin, plasma concentrations of insulin and glp-1 in healthy and diabetic subjects

Abstract

Traditionally Trigonella foenum-graecum L. was used in gastritis, to increase milk flow, gastric ulcers, kidney problems, cervical and breast cancer prevention of diabetes etc. The aerial parts of plant are remedy for abdominal cramps associated with menstrual pain, labour pains and diarrhoea or gastroenteritis. The objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of Aqueous Extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum (AETFG) on fasting blood glucose, tissue glycogen, glycosylated haemoglobin, plasma concentrations of insulin and GLP-1 in healthy and diabetic subjects. Both normal and diabetic Male Wistar rats were treated with AETFG by gavaging (300mg/kg for 28 days). Aqueous extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum increases tissue glycogen, serum insulin and GLP-1 with non-significantly (P>0.05) in normal, but significantly (P<0.01) in diabetic Wistar rats. Whereas non-significantly (P>0.05) decrease in FBG and Glycosylated haemoglobin was found in normal, and decreases significantly (P<0.01) in diabetic Wistar rats. Our findings tend to provide a possible explanation for the hypoglycemic action of AETFG seed extracts as alternative nutritional therapy in the management of diabetes.