European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

THE EFFECT OF CUCUMIS SATIVUS (CUCUMBER) ON BLOOD GLUCOSE CONCENTRATION AND BLOOD PRESSURE OF APPARENTLY HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS IN PORT HARCOURT.

*Ebirien-Agana Samuel Bartimaeus, Justice Gbeke Echeonwu, Stella Urekweru Ken-Ezihuo

ABSTRACT

The effect of cucumis sativus (cucumber) on plasma glucose concentration and blood pressure measurements of apparently healthy individuals were determined. A total of fifty apparently healthy individuals aged 18-29 years participated in the study and were divided into 5 groups. Group 1 was given 200g cucumis sativus juice only, group 2 received 200g cucumis sativus juice + 200g (ww) rice meal, group 3 was given 400g cucumis sativus juice only, group 4 was given 400g cucumis sativus juice + 400g (ww) rice meal, and Group 5 was given 400g rice meal (w/w) only. The systolic and diastolic blood pressures (baseline) and 2-hour post-prandial of the participants were determined immediately before blood samples baseline (fasting blood sample) and 2hours post-prandial blood samples were collected for analysis of plasma blood glucose concentration. The result of the analysis showed no significant (p > 0.05) difference in plasma glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels in group 1 and group 2. Groups 3, 4 and 5 showed significant difference (p< 0.05) in the plasma glucose values between the baseline (pre-treatment) individuals and 2-hour post prandial individuals. No significant difference in systolic and diastolic blood pressures was observed. However, a consistent reduction in the blood pressures was observed in all groups following administration of increasing quantity of cucumis sativus. The implication is that cucumis sativus has been demonstrated to have an anti-hyperglycaemic effect on blood glucose concentration of the participants when higher quantity of the juice was consumed.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, hyperglycaemia, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure.