Short-term effect of G-400, polyherbal formulation in the management of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia conditions in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: Salacia oblonga, Tinospora cordifolia, Emblica offinalis Gaertn, Curcuma longa and Gymnema sylvestre are Ayurvedic medicinal plants reported to lower plasma glucose levels in animal models. To our knowledge, however, no clinical validations of those extracts for efficacy have been. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of polyherbal combination in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: We screened 250 patients enrolled in a diabetes mellitus screening camp held at District Ayurvedic Hospital, Kottayam, Kerala, India. Of these, 89 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 50 healthy volunteers of similar age group were included in the study. Patients were treated with a polyherbal combination drug namely G-400 (1000 mg/d) for 8 wk with a follow-up of 2wk interval. RESULTS: Fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels measured after 8 wk of G-400 treatment in patients were significantly lower. Indeed diabetic rats showed similar protection with G-400 administration. Furthermore, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum total cholesterol, both high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides showed a significant improvement in G-400-administered patients. Toxicologic profile of the drug was assessed by analyzing the enzyme activities of alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase along with the concentration of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine in blood and found insignificant change compared with control. CONCLUSION: Short-term supplementation of G-400 not only attenuates the hyperglycemia, but also acts as hypolipidemic agent in patients with diabetes. Further study should be done for the long-term effect of the drug in larger populations.

Beneficial effects of a polar fraction of garlic (Allium sativum Linn) oil in rats fed with two different high fat diets.

Feeding a diet containing 20% of sesame oil (SO) or coconut oil (CNO) along with 2% cholesterol to rats for two months showed differences in their serum and tissue lipid profile and certain enzyme activities. Hyperlipidemia and related oxidative effects were more pronounced in coconut oil fed rats than those fed sesame oil. Feeding a combination of the oils (10% CNO +10% SO) lowered significantly the hyperlipidemia and certain other deleterious effects of CNO. Feeding a polar fraction of garlic oil (PFGO) prepared in the same way as for ajoene and administered at a dosage of 100 mg/kg along with each of the above oil containing diets counteracted significantly the hyperlipidemic, oxidant and also most of the other deleterious effects of the oils like raised lipid levels in serum and tissues, raised serum levels of AST and tissue levels of HMGCoA reductase and the lowered serum and tissue levels of glutathione reductase. The results support the claims that ajoene, the major polar compound of garlic oil, has very good biological action, which warrants further study.