Aguilar C, Ramirez C, Castadeda-Andrade I, Frati-Munari AC, Medina R, Mulrow C, Pugh J; International Society of Technology Assessment in Health Care. Meeting.
Annu Meet Int Soc Technol Assess Health Care Int Soc Technol Assess Health Care Meet. 1996; 12: 14.
UTHSC, San Antonio, TX, USA.
OBJECTIVE: To systematically review and quantify thre relationship between Opuntia (prickly pear cactus) and metabolic control among persons with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Recent survey data of South Texas residents with diabetes reveal a significant use of herbal remedies, including prickly pear cactus, for metabolic control. A preliminary meta-analysis of an initial set of six medical studies from Mexico provides sufficient evidence to complete this examination via a full-scale systematic review. METHODS: A systematic search of the international medical literature will be conducted to identify all published and unpublished medical studies examining the relationship between prickly pear cactus and metabolic control among persons with diabetes; many if not most of these reports can only be identified by contacting known investigators in Mexico and other Latin American countries and/or by searching MEDLINE and other international electronic databases. Once identified, the relevant studies will be abstracted by two individuals and the accuracy of the abstraction verified by a third. Where necessary, primary authors will be contacted to obtain missing information. Once the data has been abstracted and verified, techniques of meta-analysis will be used to quantify the magnitude of effect of Opuntia in reducing serum glucose levels at 30, 60, 120 and 180 minutes post-ingestion. In addition to acute serum glucose effects, changes in cholesterol levels and body weight will also be quantified. A qualitative review of the animal physiological studies and human studies examining long term effects, side effects, and effects among healthy volunteers will also be conducted. RESULTS: Based on the preliminary meta-analysis of the six studies identified to date, ingestion of prickly pear cactus reduces serum glucose levels among persons with diabetes on the order of 10 to 30 mg/dL at 30 to 180 minutes post-ingestion when measured as the difference from baseline. These results represent intervention group data only as the control group data reported in the published studies were of insufficient detail to use in the preliminary meta-analysis. The authors of the primary studies have agreed to provide complete data on the control group experiences so that any placebo effect can be accounted for. CONCLUSIONS: Definitive conclusions cannot be made at this time due to the inadequacy of reported control group data and pending the identification, retrieval, and abstraction of additional studies. The preliminary findings however, do suggest a strong possibility of a true metabolic effect for persons with diabetes and ingestion of prickly pear cactus. Pending the outcome of this review, we anticipate sufficient evidence to warrant a clinical trial incorporating tight metabolic control design parameters.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
- Dietary Supplements
- Humans
- Mexico
- Opuntia
- Texas
- United States
- hsrmtgs
Other ID:
UI: 102222496
From Meeting Abstracts