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Horm Metab Res 2011; 43(13): 950-955
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1291345
Animals
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Fenugreek Improves Diet-induced Metabolic Disorders in Rats

E. Muraki
1   Department of Clinical Dietetics & Human Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, Saitama, Japan
,
H. Chiba
1   Department of Clinical Dietetics & Human Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, Saitama, Japan
,
N. Tsunoda
1   Department of Clinical Dietetics & Human Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, Saitama, Japan
,
K. Kasono
1   Department of Clinical Dietetics & Human Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, Saitama, Japan
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 25 July 2011

accepted 11 October 2011

Publication Date:
23 November 2011 (online)

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Abstract

Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (fenugreek) has been described earlier and its use in ancient medicinal practice is well known. The hypoglycemic effects of fenugreek have been studied in many animal models and diabetic patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the preventive efficiency of dietary fenugreek on diet-induced metabolic diseases in rats. The diets used in this study were a standard diet, a high-fat high-sucrose (HFS) diet, and a HFS diet containing 0.5 g/kg b. w./day fenugreek based on the modified version of the AIN-93G purified diet, for 12 weeks, respectively. The rats fed the HFS diet containing fenugreek showed significantly lower fasting insulin levels and HOMA-IR than the rats fed the HFS diet. Therefore, fenugreek improved insulin sensitivity in rats. The triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in the plasma were significantly lower in the fenugreek-administered group. Moreover, distinct reductions of triglyceride, total cholesterol, free fatty acid, and phospholipid levels in the liver were found in the rats fed the HFS diet containing fenugreek. These results suggest that fenugreek enhanced insulin sensitivity at least partly by improving lipid metabolism disorders in the plasma and the liver in the rats induced by the HFS diet.

Key words

high-fat high-sucrose diet - glucose tolerance - lipid metabolism
 

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