Effects of Cassia tora fiber supplement on serum lipids in Korean diabetic patients.

Cassia tora fiber supplement consisting of 2 g of soluble fiber extracted from Cassia semen (C. tora L.), 200 mg of alpha-tocopherol, 500 mg of ascorbic acid, and 300 mg of maltodextrin was formulated in a pack, and given to 15 type II diabetic subjects (seven men and eight women 57.1 +/- 2.9 years old) with instructions to take two packs per day for 2 months. Placebo contained maltodextrin only with a little brown caramel color. Lifestyle factors and dietary intakes of the subjects were not altered during the 2-month period. Serum total cholesterol was moderately (P < .1) decreased in the C. tora group compared with the age- and gender-matched placebo group, as was the ratio of apolipoprotein B to apolipoprotein A1 (P < .1). Levels of serum triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol tended to decrease more in the C. tora-supplemented group than in the placebo group. Serum alpha-tocopherol was increased (P < .01) but lipid peroxides were not significantly lower in the C. tora group. Fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were not changed by the fiber supplement. We concluded that C. tora supplements can help improve serum lipid status in type II diabetic subjects without serious adverse effects.