Effect of soluble dietary fibre fraction of Trigonella foenum graecum on glycemic, insulinemic, lipidemic and platelet aggregation status of Type 2 diabetic model rats.

The soluble dietary fibre (SDF) fraction of Trigonella foenum graecum (Tf-sdf) has previously been shown to reduce postprandial elevation in blood glucose level of Type 2 model diabetic rats by delaying the digestion of sucrose. The Tf-sdf has now been investigated for its chronic effect on serum fructosamine, insulin and lipid levels, and on platelet aggregation in Type 2 diabetic rats. Tf-sdf was administered orally twice daily at a dose of 0.5 g kg(-1) for 28 days. It lowered the serum fructosamine level (P<0.05) with no significant change in the insulin level as compared with the control. Atherogenic lipids, i.e. triglycerides, cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were found to decrease significantly in Tf-sdf fed rats (P<0.01). HDL-cholesterol showed an opposite trend (P=0.024), but serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) values paralleled the atherogenic lipids (P=0.001). No significant effect on platelet aggregation (%) was found although there was a tendency to lower the aggregation (P=0.069). It is concluded that Tf-sdf has a beneficial effect on dyslipidemia and has a tendency to inhibit platelet aggregation in Type 2 model diabetic rats.