Effect of Aromatic Herbs and Spices Present in the Mediterranean Diet on the Glycemic Profile in Type 2 Diabetes Subjects: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is the dietary pattern par excellence for managing and preventing metabolic diseases, such as Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM). The MedDiet incorporates spices and aromatic herbs, which are abundant sources of bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of all aromatic herbs and spices included in the MedDiet, such as black cumin, clove, parsley, saffron, thyme, ginger, black pepper, rosemary, turmeric, basil, oregano, and cinnamon, on the glycemic profile in T2DM subjects. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched for interventional studies investigating the effect of these aromatic herbs and spices on the glycemic profile in T2DM subjects. RESULTS: This systematic review retrieved 6958 studies, of which 77 were included in the qualitative synthesis and 45 were included in the meta-analysis. Our results showed that cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, black cumin, and saffron significantly improved the fasting glucose levels in T2DM subjects. The most significant decreases in fasting glucose were achieved after supplementation with black cumin, followed by cinnamon and ginger, which achieved a decrease of between 27 and 17 mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: Only ginger and black cumin reported a significant improvement in glycated hemoglobin, and only cinnamon and ginger showed a significant decrease in insulin.

Effect of bergamot on lipid profile in humans: A systematic review.

Dyslipidemia is a well-established modifiable cardiovascular risk. Although statins can reduce LDLc by 50-60%, less than 20% of patients with high risk of CVD achieve LDL targets. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the effect of the nutraceutical, bergamot (Citrus bergamia), on lipid parameters in humans. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases were searched for interventional and observational studies investigating the effect of bergamot on lipid profile in humans. This systematic review retrieved a total of 442 studies of which 12 articles fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis. Based on data, 75% of studies showed a significant decrease in total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDLc. The decrease in total cholesterol varied from 12.3% to 31.3%, from 7.6% to 40.8% in LDLc and from 11.5% to 39.5% in triglycerides. Eight trials reported HDLc increase after intervention with bergamot. Overall, a dose-dependent and possible synergistic effect when administering with statins can be deducted from these trials. It is essential to point out that studies had heterogeneous designs and scientific quality of studies was quite limited. Promising findings reveal an alternative therapeutic option in dyslipidemia management with bergamot supplementation, especially in subjects with statins intolerance.

Serum plant sterols as surrogate markers of dietary compliance in familial dyslipidemias.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: A well-balanced diet is the first-line treatment in hyperlipidemia. The objective was to study the association between serum phytosterols and dietary patterns to use them as surrogate markers of dietary compliance in primary dyslipidemias. METHODS: 288 patients with primary hyperlipidemias (192 autosomal dominant hypercholesterolemia (ADH) and 96 familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL)) were included. Principal factor analysis identified 2 major dietary patterns using a 137-item food frequency questionnaire. "Vegetable & Fruits pattern" was characterized by higher intake of fruits, green beans, nuts, tomatoes, roasted or boiled potatoes, lettuce and chard and lower of processed baked goods, pizza and beer. "Western pattern" was positively characterized by hamburgers, pasta, sunflower oil, rice, chickpeas, whole milk, veal, red beans and negatively with white fish. Serum non-cholesterol sterols were determined by HPLC-MS/MS. RESULTS: Plant sterols to-total cholesterol (TC) levels were lower with a higher adherence to a "Vegetable & Fruits pattern" (P = 0.009), mainly in ADH subjects (R(2) = 0.019). Their concentration was greater with higher compliance to "Western pattern" especially in FCHL (P = 0.014). Higher levels of synthesis markers-to-TC with a greater adherence to "Vegetable & Fruits pattern" were found (P = 0.001) (R(2) = 0.033 and R(2) = 0.109 in ADH and FCHL respectively). CONCLUSION: In subjects with primary dislipidemia, dietary patterns associate with serum absorption and synthesis markers, but no with lipid concentrations. The influence of diet on non-cholesterol sterols levels is not powerful enough to use them as subrogate markers.