CURRY LEAF POWDER AND CUCUMBER SLICES ATTENUATE HYPERLIPIDEMIA IN POST MENOPAUSAL WOMEN: A RANDOMIZED CONTROL SINGLE BLINDED STUDY

Background: Woman’s risk for developing heart disease rises after menopause may possibly correlated with the striking increase in cholesterol levels. Objective: A randomized controlled cluster group single blind study was conducted by treating with dried curry leaf powder and cucumber slices in hyperlipidemic post menopausal women in rural area. Methods:  Menopausal healthy women of rural communities (n =40; 45–65 years of age) with hyperlipidemia who were on with or without hypolipidemic drug  were treated with dried curry leaf powder (5 g) adding in main side dish during lunch. Similarly another forty who were on with or without hypolipidemic drug were given100-125g cucumber slices before lunch for 45 consecutive days. A group of forty women with or without hypolipidemic drug was kept as the control. The demographic variables were collected using questionnaire. Fasting blood samples were collected before and after the intervention and lipid profile. Results: Among the total 120 subjects recruited, most of them (46.66%) had total cholesterol (TC) 200-239 mg/dl and 26.66% had high cholesterol. The low density cholesterol (LDL–C) (60%) was 100-150 or borderline high and 36.66% had above 150 mg/dl. When the pre test and post test values were compared, the cucumber, and curry leaf were significantly (<0.001) effective to lower the TC level. Both curry leaf and cucumber slices lowered hyperlipidemia in post menopausal women with drug and without drug. Conclusion:  Curry leaf and cucumber were effective in improving HDL-C and lowering of TC, LDL-C and triglyceride levels in post menopausal women with hyperlipidemia.