Sechium edule var. nigrum spinosum consumption has a hypoglycemic and antioxidant effect in Mexican older people with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE

to determine the hypoglycemic and antioxidant effect of Sechium edule var. nigrum spinosum consumption in older Mexican adults with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

a quasi-experimental study was conducted in 33 older adults with diabetes: 1) placebo group (PG; n = 14); 2) experimental group (EG; n = 19). The EG consumed 1.5 g of S. edule per day (three 500 mg capsules) for three months, and the PG consumed three placebo capsules of equal appearance for three months. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), lipid peroxides (LPO), protein carbonylation (PC), total oxidative status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), oxidative stress index (OSI), and the activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase were measured before and after the intervention in both groups.

RESULTS

the EG showed a statistically significant decrease in HbA1c (EG: baseline, 8.9 ± 2.2; post. 7.8 ± 2.0), as well as in LPO, PC, TOS and OSI (LPO: baseline, 0.243 ± 0.067; post. 0.222 ± 0.050; PC: baseline, 29.4 ± 10; post. 19.2 ± 6; TOS: baseline, 6.0 ± 2.6; post. 3.1 ± 1.8; OSI: baseline, 5.7 ± 3.1; post 2.0 ± 1.1); along with a significant increase in TAS (baseline, 0.94 ± 0.29; post. 1.22 ± 0.28), changes that were not observed in the CG.

CONCLUSION

the results suggest that S. edule has hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects.