The hypoglycemic effect of Juglans regia leaves aqueous extract in diabetic patients: A first human trial

BACKGROUND: Juglans regia L. (J. regia ) is one of the medicinal plants traditionally used for treatment of diabetes in Iranian medicine. The effect of this plant has already been investigated on animal models; however, this is the first study conducted on human subjects. The aim of this study is to investigate the hypoglycemic effect of J. regia leaves aqueous extract in type 2 diabetes patients. Fifty eight Iranian male and female patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled. The patients were randomly allocated into two groups. One group (n = 30) received J. regia leaves extract while the other group (n = 28) received placebo. Fasting blood samples were collected at the beginning of the study and after two months for determination of HbA1c and blood glucose level as a main outcome and insulin, SGOT, SGPT, and ALP level as secondary outcome. RESULTS: Our analysis showed that serum fasting HbA1C and blood glucose levels were significantly decreased and the insulin level was increased in patients in the J. regia arm. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that J. regia aqueous extract favorably affects blood levels of glucose, insulin and HbA1C in type 2 diabetic patients

Effects of standardized hydro-alcoholic extract of Vaccinium arctostaphylos leaf on hypertension and biochemical parameters in hypertensive hyperlipidemic type 2 diabetic patients: a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial

Objective: To study the blood pressure, lipid and glycemic effects and safety of Vaccinium arctostaphylos leaf in the hypertensive hyperlipidemic type 2 diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: The patients took 350 mg standardized plant leaf hydro-alcoholic extract capsule (n=50) or placebo capsule (n=50) three times daily alongside conventional drugs for 2 months. At the baseline and endpoint, systolic and diastolic blood pressures and blood levels of fasting glucose (FG), 2-hr postprandial glucose (2hPPG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, triglyceride, HDL-C, SGOT, SGPT and creatinine were determined in both groups. To evaluate the extract safety, serum SGOT, SGPT and creatinine levels were tested; also, the patients were requested to report any adverse effects.   Results: FG, 2hPPG, HbA1c, TC, LDL-C, triglyceride and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were decreased, whereas HDL-C was increased significantly in the extract group compared to those of the placebo group at the endpoint (for all cases,

Effects of the Pistacia atlantica subsp. kurdica Oleoresin on the Symptoms and Quality of Life in Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The Pistacia atlantica subsp. kurdica oleoresin (OPA) is utilized for the treatment of dyspepsia and other gastrointestinal diseases in the Persian Medicine. Therefore, the therapeutic efficacy and safety of standardized OPA in functional dyspepsia (FD) were evaluated. To standardize OPA, the constituents of the OPA essential oil were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fifty patients were allocated to each of the OPA and placebo groups. The OPA and placebo groups consumed two 200 mg OPA or placebo capsules, respectively, every 12 hours along with one 40 mg famotidine tablet per day for 8 weeks. Dyspepsia severity was the primary outcome measured by the Hong Kong dyspepsia index. The secondary outcomes included quality of life measured by the sf-36 questionnaire, complete blood count, and the blood levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The outcomes were measured at the baseline and endpoint. OPA contained 10% w/w essential oil, and the constituents of the OPA essential oil were α-pinene (96%), β- pinene (2%) and terpinolene (2%). Thirty five patients in each group completed the trial. OPA decreased the Hong Kong score significantly (p = 0.013), but the placebo had no significant effect on the Hong Kong score (p = 0.651), at the endpoint compared to baseline. The sf-36 questionnaire score of the OPA group increased significantly (p = 0.027), but it increased insignificantly in the placebo group (p = 0.078), at the endpoint compared to baseline. There was no significant effect on the blood tests, and also no side effect. Thus, OPA may mitigate the symptoms, and increase the quality of life of the FD patients without side effects. The OPA essential oil and the monoterpenes α-pinene, β- pinene and terpinolene may be responsible for the effects of OPA in FD