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Abstract

Diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease and oxidative stress are some of the important complications encountered by women during menopause due to decrease in estrogen levels. Food intake has a strong impact on menopausal women and a well balanced diet is important for good health and to combat some of the complications of menopause to certain extent. Minor millets has much health benefits and help to overcome non-communicable diseases like diabetes mellitus, obesity, hyperlipidemia, cardio-vascular diseases, etc. It is rich in micronutrients, especially vitamin B and minerals, Phytochemicals and dietary fiber. The phenolic compounds in minor millets also helps in the prevention of chronic diseases like Cancer. Minor millets like Paspalum scrobiculatum L., Panicum sumatrense Rothex Roem. and Schult, Eichinochola frumentacea Link and setaria italic (L.) P. Beauv. were chosen for the study. The bilaterally ovariectomized rat is an animal model for the studies related to menopause. The powdered minor millets were mixed with rat pellet and fed to the ovariectomised rats. After three months of the study, the blood was collected and analysed for Blood Glucose, Serum Lipid profile, TBARS, Gammaglutamyltransferase. There was a significant (P< 0.05) decrease in the serum glucose,HbA1c, LDL cholesterol, Triglycerides, TBARS and GGT and improvement in serum HDL cholesterol in the Minor millets fed group compared to the control(SHAM operated). Thus Minor millets chosen for the study has the ability to keep blood glucose level and serum lipid level in control and have the ability to reduce the oxidative stress parameters.