BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS

Tne medicinal plants represent a vast source of vital ingredients, which have hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic and antimutagenic properties. The traditional system of medicine utilizes herbs with medicinal values and Kasini keerai is one such medicinal plant.

The next phase of this study was designed to administer Kasini keerai in the form of poriyal, powder and tablets to diabetics and to find out the effect of these on the blood sugar levels and serum lipid profile.

Human volunteers with Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM) were identified, The objectives of the project were explained to them and those willing to participate in the study were divided into three groups of ten volunteers each. The subjects were in the age group of 45 to 60 years. All the participants of the study except one in group III were on allopathic medication also. They were taking either Daonil or Glynase or Glyciphage or Chlorformin.

The participants who consumed the preparation in the form of poriyal(cooked form of fresh leaves) constituted Group I, dry leaf powder, Group II and tablet, Group III. The supplementation was done for a total period of nine months.

                                                                               SUPPLEMENTATION

The supplementation given to the target participants were as follows:

Group I

The participants in this group were supplemented with fresh Kasini keerai in the form of poriyal along with their lunch. The poriyal was prepared by adding sauted onion to the Kasini leaves for easy palatability. Each volunteer was given 160 g of the poriyal, which was prepared from 200 g of fresh leaves.

Group II

Six grams of Dr. Akbar Kausars special Kasini keerai powder was boiled in one cup of water till the volume reduced to half. It was then filtered and the decoction given to the volunteers in the morning. The same quantity was given also in the evening in the place of coffee.

Group III

Each of the participants was given two tablets, three times a day (morning, afternoon and night) fifteen minutes before meals. Each tablet weighed about 0.96g. The tablets of Kasini keerai were kindly supplied by Dr. Akbar Kauser, AI-Kauser Herbal Hospitals, Vaniyambadi.

BLOOD ANALYSIS

Five ml of fasting blood samples were collected from the volunteers and the following investigations were done at the beginning and after third, sixth and ninth month of the supplementation period.
         1. Blood glucose. 2. Lipid profile: Total cholesterol, Triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and VLDL-cholesterol

TESTING THE ANTIMUTAGENICITY/ CO - MUTAGENICFTY OF THE SAMPLES:

Ames Salmonella Microsome Assay: The mutant bacterila strain of Salmonella typhimurium TA 98, TA 100 and TA 102 were obtained from Prof. B.N.Ames, Biochemistry Department, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.