LOWERING GLYCEMIC INDEX OF FOOD BY ACARBOSE AND PLANTAGO-PSYLLIUM MUCILAGE

Background: A study was designed to evaluate the effect of acarbose an d Plantago psyllium mucilage on glycemic index (GI) of bread. Methods: Twelve patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and ten healthy volunteers were studied. Three meal tests with an inta ke of 90 g of white bread (50 g of carbohydrates) were performed on ea ch subject. In one test, 200 mg of acarbose was given, while 15 g of P . psyllium mucilage was given in another test, and only bread was inge sted in the control test. Serum glucose and insulin concentrations wer e measured every 30 min from 0 - 180 min. Net area under curve (AUC) c oncentrations of glucose and insulin, GI and insulinic index were calc ulated. Results: In NIDDM patients, AUC-glucose in the test with acarb ose (1.9 +/- 0.7 mmoVL) and with P. psyllium (4.3 +/- 1.2 mmol/L) were significantly lower than in the control test (7.4 +/- 1.5 mmol/L) (p < 0.01), GI of bread plus acarbose was 26 +/- 13, and of bread plus P. psyllium, 59 +/- 10 (p < 0.05), AUC-insulin and insulinic index behav e similarly. In healthy individuals, AUC-glucose and GI did not signif icantly change with the treatments; however, insulinic index with acar bose was 17 +/- 16, and with P. psyllium was 68 +/- 15 (p < 0,05), Aca rbose or P. psyllium decreased GI of bread in NIDDM patients and dimin ished insulinic index in NIDDM and in healthy subjects. Conclusions: A dding acarbose or P. psyllium to meals may reduce glycemic index of ca rbohydrate foods and may help diabetic control.