Metabolic effect of Gum Arabic (Acacia Senegal) in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM): Randomized, placebo controlled double blind trial
Journal Title: Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Year 2017, Vol 7, Issue 3
Abstract
Background: Gum Arabic (GA) is a water-soluble dietary fiber, indigestible to both humans and animals. While GA currently does not have any therapeutic potential, it has nutritional value and some effects on metabolism of glucose and lipids. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess the effect of GA on serum level of glucose, lipids, and the BMI in type 2 diabetic patients. Methods: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial took place at Academy Charity Teaching Hospital (ACTH) in Sudan between August 2014 to February 2015. The trial was conducted in type 2 diabetic patients who were on regular oral hypoglycemic drugs and had HbA1C ≥ 6.5%. Patients excluded from the study included those on insulin, any patient with a metabolic or gastrointestinal disease, and any patient with history of drug addiction and alcoholism. Other patients excluded were patients who had previous allergic reactions to GA in addition to patients who were pregnant or planned for conception within 6 months. 120 patients were invited to participate in this trial. 100 patients gave consent and were randomized to GA and placebo groups. The GA group was given 30 g of Acacia Senegaland the placebo group was given 5 g of placebo daily for 3 months. The outcomes assessed were primarily the effect of GA on glucose levels in addition to the effects on levels of lipids and the BMI in type 2 diabetic patients. Results: The GA group showed significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and HbA1c (P<0.05) within the GA group. Moreover, GA supplementation improved lipid profiles; decreased LDL-Cholesterol by 5.95%, total Cholesterol by 8.28% and triglyceride by 10.95% from baseline levels. HDL-Cholesterol showed significant increase by 19.89% within GA group (P<0.05), BMI was decreased significantly by 2.06% (95% CI: −0.98; −0.16), P<0.05). Conclusions: Gum Arabic is a dietary supplement for improving nutrition of type 2 diabetic patients; it has demonstrated a good effect on improving their poor glycemic control. It has also shown improvement in the levels of the lipids and the BMI. Further studies are needed in obese and pre-diabetic patients to evaluate GA therapeutic potentials.
Authors and Affiliations
Rasha Babiker, Khalifa Elmusharaf, Michael B. Keogh, Amin S. I. Banaga, Amal M. Saeed
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP435097
- DOI 10.31989/ffhd.v7i3.325
- Views 157
- Downloads 0
Extract of the sea cucumber, Holothuria scabra, induces apoptosis in human glioblastoma cell lines
Background: Glioblastoma is the most aggressive primary brain tumor resistant to conventional treatment, and has a frequent recurrence. Holothuria scabra is the most widely consumed sea cucumber in Thailand and Asian cou...
Colonic delivery of nutrients for management of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes patients
Background: It is now widely accepted that bariatric surgeries such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) resolve or improve type 2 diabetes mellitus. Post-prandial glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-...
Maitake mushrooms (Grifola frondosa) enhances antibody production in response to influenza vaccination in healthy adult volunteers concurrent with alleviation of common cold symptoms
Background: The prevention of influenza virus infection is a critical public health challenge.Thus new, safe, and effective strategies are needed to reduce the risk of infection. Maitake mushrooms (Grifola frondosa) are...
Efficacy of a novel herbal composition licorice flavonoid oil in subject with metabolic syndrome: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical study
Background: In order to evaluate the effects of licorice flavonoid oil (LFO) on waist circumference, blood pressure, lipid profile, body fat composition, body weight, body mass index (BMI), and fasting blood glucose in p...
Oral administration of an ethanolic extract of Hypericum gentianoides attenuates spontaneous colitis in mdr1a-/- mice
Background: Nutraceuticals (i.e., complementary and alternative medicines) are gaining ground as therapeutic modalities for inflammatory and autoimmune disorders due to their low toxicity and high patient compliance. Sev...