Serum magnesium: an early predictor of course and complications of diabetes mellitus.

The aim of this study was to evaluate relationship between serum magnesium and course of diabetes mellitus and also to find out, if there is any relation between serum magnesium and various complications of diabetes mellitus. A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the relationship between serum magnesium in 50 type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients with or without complications and 40 normal healthy persons. Serum magneisum estimation was done using calmagite dye method using autoanalyser (Beckman DU clin systems). Serum magnesium levels in diabetic population was significantly low (1.93 +/- 0.282 meq/l) in comparison to control (2.25 +/- 0.429 meq/l). It was statistically significant (+3.84; p < 0.005). Serum magnesium was significantly low in diabetes with complication than without complications (p < 0.001). Duration of diabetes and serum magnesium were inversely related. Poor glycaemic control was associated with hypomagnesaemia (-2.623; p < 0.05). There was strong association between hypomagnesaemia and retinopathy (1.76 +/- 0.26), obesity (1.878 +/- 0.326) and hypertension (1.75 +/- 0.071) and it was statistically significantly (p < 0.005, 0.042, 0.000 respectively). Hence it is concluded that the change in serum magnesium level may have a bearing on the complication and morbidity in patients of diabetes mellitus.

A randomized placebo controlled trial of Inolter (herbal product) in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Inolter in achieving glycemic control and changes in lipid profile of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Study design: A randomized, placebo-controlled double blind. Sixty newly diagnosed patients of type-2 diabetes were randomized. Of these, 30 were put on Inolter monotherapy and 30 patients on placebo. Efficacy of Inolter was determined by observing glycemic control by estimating glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting blood sugar (FBS), alteration of lipid profile by serum cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, HDL and triglycerides. STATISTICAL METHODS: Student's unpaired 't' test. RESULTS: Patients compliance was satisfactory and no adverse effects were observed. Better hypoglycemic effect was observed with Inolter both respect to fasting blood sugar (mean 65.4 +/- 63.72 mg/dl) compared to placebo (mean 26.45 +/- 38.3 mg/dl) (p < 0.001). The mean change, with Inolter, in serum cholesterol (21.33 +/- 26.05 mg/dl), serum triglyceride (30.36 +/- 32.62 mg/dl), VLDL (8.85 +/- 3.25 mg/dl), LDL (10.00 +/- 4.48 mg/dl) and HDL (-2.33 +/- 5.66 mg/dl) was also significantly different (p < 0.001) from those given placebo, where it was 15.7 +/- 20.14 mg/dl, 8.70 +/- 13.24, 0.10 +/- 4.10 mg/dl, -0.70 +/- 4.58 mg/dl and 0.65 +/- 0.00 mg/dl, respectively. CONCLUSION: Inolter appears to be an useful adjunctive therapy to exercise and diet control in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.