Anethum graveolens Supplementation Improves Insulin Sensitivity and Lipid Abnormality in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Background: using of herbs as complementary medications for treatment of diseaseshas been prevailed in the world. this study was aimed to investigate the effects ofanethum supplementation on insulin sensitivity, fasting blood glucose (fbs) and lipidprofile in type 2 diabetic patients. methods: this randomized-double blind- placebocontrolledstudy was conducted on 60 diabetic patients in tabriz, iran from january tomarch 2012. intervention group received 3.3 g/day powder of anethum for 8 weeks.fasting blood glucose, triglyceride (tg), total cholesterol (tc), low-densitylipoprotein-cholesterol (ldl-c) and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (hdl-c)levels were assessed by enzymatic colorimetric method at onset and at the end ofstudy. serum insulin level was determined by elisa method and homa-ir as anindex of insulin resistance calculated as fasting concentrations of blood glucose(mg/dl)×fasting insulin (?u/ml) / 405. results: a significant reduction in insulinlevel was observed in intervention group at the end of the study (p=0.003). tc andldl-c decreased significantly at the end of the study (p=0.016, p=0.009,respectively). changes in hdl-c, tg and homa-ir were not apparent. surprisingly,fbs increased in the intervention group but it was not statistically significant(p=0.142).conclusion: supplementation of type 2 diabetic patients with anethum hadbeneficial effects on insulin sensitivity and some lipid profiles. further scientificefforts with large sample size needed to confirm these results.