Insulin-Sensitizer Effects of Fenugreek Seeds in Parallel with Changes in Plasma MCH Levels in Healthy Volunteers

Abstract

In developed, developing and low-income countries alike, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most common chronic diseases, the severity of which is substantially a consequence of multiple organ complications that occur due to long-term progression of the disease before diagnosis and treatment. Despite enormous investment into the characterization of the disease, its long-term management remains problematic, with those afflicted enduring significant degradation in quality-of-life. Current research efforts into the etiology and pathogenesis of T2DM, are focused on defining aberrations in cellular physiology that result in development of insulin resistance and strategies for increasing insulin sensitivity, along with downstream effects on T2DM pathogenesis. Ongoing use of plant-derived naturally occurring materials to delay the onset of the disease or alleviate symptoms is viewed by clinicians as particularly desirable due to well-established efficacy and minimal toxicity of such preparations, along with generally lower per-patient costs, in comparison to many modern pharmaceuticals. A particularly attractive candidate in this respect, is fenugreek, a plant that has been used as a flavouring in human diet through recorded history. The present study assessed the insulin-sensitizing effect of fenugreek seeds in a cohort of human volunteers, and tested a hypothesis that melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) acts as a critical determinant of this effect. A test of the hypothesis was undertaken using a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic glucose clamp approach to assess insulin sensitivity in response to oral administration of a fenugreek seed preparation to healthy subjects. Outcomes of these evaluations demonstrated significant improvement in glucose tolerance, especially in patients with impaired glucose responses. Outcome data further suggested that fenugreek seed intake-mediated improvement in insulin sensitivity correlated with reduction in MCH levels.

Fenugreek Seed and Its Active Agent Diosgenin Treatment Effects on Different Metabolic Parameters in Rats

“…Effect of chronic diosgenin and fenugreek seed treatment on area under the glucose curve during ITT Our data showed that despite TFG enhanced weight gain and increased abdominal adiposity, parameters well connected to the development of insulin resistance, 6 weeks treatment with fenugreek seeds didn't alter insulin sensitivity. It is well established that fenugreek has an insulin sensitizing effect [4,5,15,25,30,31] and delays the development of glucose intolerance in sensitive patients, but our results with diosgenin could not corroborate this, which suggests that sapogenins do not play a significant role in the insulin sensitizing effect of TFG, and the applied dose of TFG is not enough to increase insulin sensitivity in the DIO model.…”

Consumo de alimentos funcionais e seus benefícios no diabetes mellitus tipo II: revisão de literatura

“…Desta forma, o pó de feno-grego é considerado um ingrediente funcional válido para reduzir a glicemia pós-prandial. Contribuindo com os resultados mostrados, no estudo citado Kiss, et al, (2018) se expôs que a preparação oral de sementes de feno-grego melhora o metabolismo da glicose por seu efeito sensibilizante à insulina e o aumento da sensibilidade à insulina associado ao feno-grego foi mais poderoso em pacientes com os mais baixos parâmetros basais na taxa de infusão de glicose.…”

The Effects of Fenugreek Seed on Glycemic Parameters: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta- analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

“…Limited studies have investigated the effect of fenugreek on insulin levels and HOMA-IR and found non-signi cant reduction effects on these parameters. However, the estimated effect size of the pooled results of 4 [22,43,47,53] and 3 trials [43,47,53] that reported the effect of fenugreek on insulin levels and HOMA-IR respectively, showed signi cant reduction in insulin levels in intervention groups compared with placebo which can be partly due to its lowering effects on blood sugar levels and also indicates an increase in insulin sensitivity and a decrease in the need for more insulin secretion. HOMA-IR also decreased, although it was not signi cant.…”