The effect of Cassia angustifolia (senna) leaves on the fasting blood sugar in a sample of mild diabetic Yemeni patients

Abstract

Senna is an herb indigenous to Africa, Arabia and India, and is mentioned in the traditional Islamic medicine as a remedy for many diseases. This article is performed to study the effect of senna leaves on fasting blood sugar (FBS) in twenty male Yemeni patients with type II diabetes mellitus (FBS 130-150 mg/100ml), with no other health problems. Three clinical trials were performed, in the first trial each patient received two placebo tablets daily for 10 days, and in the second trial each patient received the standard hypoglycemic herb: fenugreek seeds 6 grams daily for 10 days, and in the third and last trial each patient received a macerate of 200 mg of senna leaves daily for 10 days. A washout period of two weeks was kept between each two successive trials. The results showed that senna leaves significantly lowered the FBS by 14.3%, fenugreek seeds by 12%, while placebo tablets did not change this parameter in the patients.