Effect of cumin (Cuminum cyminum) essential oil supplementation on metabolic profile and serum leptin in pre-diabetic subjects: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial

Abstract Some medications and herbal drugs are suggested to ameliorate impaired plasma glucose and its complications in pre-diabetic patients. This study aimed to assess the effect of cumin essential oil supplementation on metabolic markers and serum leptin in pre-diabetic subjects. In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, subjects of intervention group received one cumin soft gel (containing 75 mg of cumin essential oil) per day for 10 weeks, while subjects of control group received one placebo soft gel. Glycemic indices and serum leptin did not significantly improve in intervention group. Except serum total cholesterol, other markers of lipid profile as well as anthropometric indexes improved in intervention group. Subgroup analyses represented that lipid profile and anthropometric indexes were ameliorated in women after intervention, while did not show significant improvement in men. It can be concluded that cumin essential oil can be used as an adjuvant therapy to ameliorate metabolic status in pre-diabetics.