title: Chamomile tea improves glycemic indices and antioxidants status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oxidative stress is a major factor in the pathogenesis of diabetes complications. The objectives were to investigate the effects of chamomile tea consumption on glycemic control and antioxidant status in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2 DM).
  
  
  METHODS
  This single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 64 subjects with T2 DM (males and females) ages 30 to 60 y. The intervention group (n = 32) consumed chamomile tea (3 g/150 mL hot water) 3 times per day immediately after meals for 8 wk. The control group (n = 32) followed a water regimen for same intervention period. Fasting blood samples, anthropometric measurements, and 3-d, 24-h dietary recalls were collected at the baseline and at the end of the trial. Data were analyzed by independent t test, paired t test, and analysis of covariance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chamomile tea significantly decreased concentration of glycosylated hemoglobin, serum insulin levels, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, and serum malondialdehyde, compared with control group (all P < 0.05). Total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase activities were significantly increased by 6.81%, 26.16 %, 36.71 % and 45.06% respectively in chamomile group compared with these variables in control group at the end of the intervention (all P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short term intake of chamomile tea has beneficial effects on glycemic control and antioxidant status in patients with T2 DM. A larger sample population and a longer intervention period may be required to show significant clinical improvements.
authors.affiliation: Students' Research Committee, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zemestani
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Research Center, Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: rafrafm@tbzmed.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rafraf
authors.affiliation: Tabriz Health Service Management Research Center, Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asghari-Jafarabadi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D038321:Glycemic Index / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D031168:Matricaria; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016037:Single-Blind Method
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007328:Insulin; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Antioxidant status; Blood glucose; Chamomile; Malondialdehyde; Type 2 diabetes mellitus