Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect of Aloe vera L. in non-insulin dependent diabetics

Abstract

Ninety non-insulin dependent diabetic subjects were selected from Punjab Agricultural University and Civil hospitals of Ludhiana. The selected subjects were divided into three groups viz. Group I, II and III having thirty subjects each. The subjects of group I were not given any treatment. The subjects of group II and III were supplemented with 100 mg and 200 mg of Aloe vera L. gel powder respectively for a period of 3 months and supplementation was continued along with nutrition counselling for the next 3 months. The nutrition education was given for 3 months after 15 days interval to the subjects of group II and III through individual and group contact. The blood glucose and lipid profile were analyzed. The blood pressure of the subjects was also measured. It was seen that there was a significant (p ≤ 0.01) reduction in fasting blood glucose level by 11.4% and 15.4% and post prandial glucose level 18.5% and 27.8% in the subjects of group II and III respectively after the study. Significant (p ≤ 0.01) reduction in total cholesterol 8.6% and 10.1%, triglycerides 9.6% and 12.2%, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) 12.8% and 14.6%, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) 9.6% and 12.2% and an increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) 7.3% and 9.4% was observed in the subjects of group II and III respectively. The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL-C reduced from 5.6 to 4.8 and 6.1 to 5.0 and LDL-C to HDL-C from 3.7 to 3.0 and 4.1 to 3.1 in the subjects of group II and III respectively after the study. There was also a significant decrease (p ≤ 0.01) in the blood pressure of the subjects of group II and III and a non significant decrease (p ≤ 0.01) was seen in the subjects of group I. With the intervention of Aloe vera L., significant reduction was observed in blood glucose, lipid profile and blood pressure of the diabetic patients. © 2011 Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India).