Comparison of Apple Cider Vinegar and Metformin Combination with Metformin Alone in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: This study aims to compare the effect of metformin monotherapy with the combination therapy of metformin and apple cider vinegar on the parameters of Body Mass Index and glycemic control of recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Methods: A total of 126 patients were enrolled in this open-label randomized controlled trial, divided into two parallel arms: Group I (Metformin 750 mg alone per day) and Group II (Metformin 750 mg+Apple Cider Vinegar 2 tablespoons per day) and assessed for weight, Body Mass Index, Fasting Blood Sugar and Hemoglobin A1c after which the post-treatment values of the aforementioned parameters were compared between the two groups. Informed consent from all patients and ethical approval from the institutional ethics board was obtained. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: All the parameters underwent a significant reduction in the pre and post intra group comparison of each group (p-value<0.001). Moreover, a significant difference was found in the post-treatment comparisons of the Fasting Blood Sugar (p-value<0.001) and HbA1c (p-value=0.04) in between the two groups. However, no significant difference was obtained in the post-treatment comparisons of weight and Body Mass Index in between the two groups. Conclusion: Apple Cider Vinegar in combination with Metformin appears to be more effective in improving glycemic control versus Metformin monotherapy.

Biochemical, Nutritional and End Use Perspectives of Wheat Grass as Potential Dietary Supplement

Wheat grass being substantial cereal grass crop in the world; copious source of nutrients with noteworthy nutritional and therapeutic value. The research, wheat grass was grown in indoor trays and then used as powder and in drink. The objective were to use the wheat grass to formulate a suitable processing procedure for wheat grass powder (WGP) enriched food products. Both raw WGP and cookies were analyzed for total dietary fiber (TDF), soluble dietary fiber (SDF), insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity. Drink was analyzed for pH, viscosity and total soluble solids (TSS). WGP addition showed a significant effect on mixographic (peak height and peak time) and farinographic studies; water absorption, arrival time, dough development time (DDT) and mixing tolerance index (MTI). The cookies prepared using different levels were generally accepted by sensory panelists of the department but 3% substitution level of WGP have high acceptability. Moreover, on the basis of physicochemical and sensory attributes, 10% supplementation level of wheat grass in drink was best making it a nutrient enriched food source.

Serum Vitamin D Concentration in Asthmatic Children and Its Association with Recovery Time from an Asthma Exacerbation.

Introduction: The relationship of vitamin D and asthma is known but the association between vitamin D and time required to recover from acute asthma exacerbation has not been studied. Aims: To find an association between serum vitamin D levels and time required to recover from an asthma exacerbation (recovery days) in asthmatic children from age 5 to 15 years. And to find association of other risk factors of asthma on recovery days. Study Design: It was a cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Paediatrics, Qatar Hospital Orangi Town and Abbassi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi, between February 2012 to June 2014. Methodology: We included 99 asthmatic children (60 male and 39 females; age range 5 to 15 years) at the time of an acute asthma exacerbation. Spirometry was done using Vitalograph (alpha) (UK). FEV1/FEVC ratio <80 % was used to confirm acute asthma exacerbation. Serum vitamin D levels were measured by chemiluminescence method using Abbott's ARCHITECT clinical chemistry analyzer. Children were followed up for confirming recovery by spirometry. FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC ratio within the reference ranges (The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and Polgar) were taken as normal. Results: Applying Poisson regression model it was found out that that there was no association between vitamin D levels and time to recover from asthma (P =.398). 28.6% (n=2) children showed early recovery when recovery days were associated with exposure to home environment (P =0.000). Conclusions: Despite the fact that 95% of the subjects with asthma had either vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency but there was no significant association between vitamin D levels and the time required to recover from an asthma exacerbation. Further studies are needed to establish the role of vitamin D in asthma.