The effects of Anethum graveolens (dill) powder supplementation on clinical and metabolic status in patients with type 2 diabetes

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of anethum graveolens (dill) powder supplementation on glycemic control, lipid profile, some antioxidants and inflammatory markers, and gastrointestinal symptoms in type 2 diabetic patients. Material and methods: In this study, 42 patients with type 2 diabetes were randomly allocated to intervention and control groups and received either 3g/day dill powder or placebo (3 capsules/day, 1 g each). Fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA- IR), lipid profile, hs-C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), and gastrointestinal symptoms were measured in all of the subjects at baseline and post-intervention. Results: The dill powder supplementation significantly decreased the mean serum levels of insulin, HOMA-IR, LDL-C, TC, and MDA in the intervention group in comparison with the baseline measurements (p < 0.05). Also, the mean serum levels of HDL and TAC were significantly increased in the intervention group in comparison with the baseline measurement (p < 0.05). Colonic motility disorder was the only gastrointestinal symptom whose frequency was significantly reduced by supplementation (P = 0.01). The mean changes of insulin, LDL-C , TC, and MDA were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, the mean changes in HDL were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Dill powder supplementation can be effective in controlling the glycemic, lipid, stress oxidative, and gastrointestinal symptoms in type 2 diabetic patients. Keywords: Type 2 diabetes; Dill powder; Glycemic control; Lipid profile; Stress oxidative status