Duration of the hypoglycemic action of Opuntia streptacantha Lem
Frati-Munari, A.C.; Ríos Gil, U.; Ariza-Andraca, C.R.; Islas Andrade, S.; López Ledesma, R.
Archivos de Investigacion Medica 20(4): 297-300
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0066-6769 PMID: 2488768 Document Number: 336956
To assess the duration of Opuntia streptacantha Lem. hypoglycemic effect, two tests in fasting conditions, one with the intake of 500 g of broiled Opuntia stems and the other one with 400 ml of water as control, were performed in eight type II diabetics. Serum glucose levels were measured hourly during six hours. In the Opuntia test the decrease of serum glucose levels was more pronounced at the fourth hour (P less than 0.01 vs control test), serum glucose levels remained unchanged the following two hours. No significant changes on glycemia occurred in the control test. Difference between both tests was significant from the second to the sixth hour.