Table VIII

Tread Mill Test Reading After One Year of Treatment Age Group No. Of Patients Anterior Wall Ischaemia No Evidence Of Ischaemia Inferior Wall Ischaemia No Ischaemia Male Diabetics 35-40 612 398 396 214 202 41-50 823 526 500 297 276 51-65 989 605 600 384 341 Male Non-Diabetics 1065 424 399 641 582 Female Diabetics 35-40 85 31 29 54 52 41-50 207 96 93 111 107 51-65 451 302 259 149 133 Female Non-Diabetics 768 438 388 330 295 5000 2820 2664 2180 1988 Serum Cholesterol Levels Returned After Three Months (160-240 Mgm%) Age Group No. Of Patients 290-350 Normal 351-425 Normal 426-500 Normal Male Diabetics 35-40 612 309 306 198 192 105 100 41-50 823 429 408 256 238 138 130 51-65 989 547 504 232 231 210 206 Male Non-Diabetics 1065 219 200 657 599 189 182 Female Diabetics 35-40 85 25 23 40 39 20 19 41-50 207 67 65 108 106 32 29 51-65 451 112 101 298 251 41 40 Female Non-Diabetics 768 204 162 469 431 95 90 5000 1912 1769 2258 2087 830 796 Serum Trigylcerides Returned After Three Months (50-90 Mgm%) Age Group No. Of Patients 151-170 Normal 171-200 Normal 201-250 Normal Male Diabetics 35-40 612 305 300 203 200 104 98 41-50 823 415 399 301 300 107 77 51-65 989 509 489 249 229 231 223 Male Non-Diabetics 1065 208 158 701 680 156 143 Female Diabetics 35-40 85 20 18 44 43 21 20 41-50 207 61 60 112 110 34 30 51-65 451 108 69 304 288 39 35 Female Non-Diabetics 768 198 140 502 485 66 58 5000 1824 1633 2416 2335 760 684 Total Lipids After Three Months of Treatment Age Group No. Of Patients 851-1000 Normal 1001-1200 Normal 1200-1350 Normal Male Diabetics 35-40 612 291 282 180 176 141 140 41-50 823 402 370 281 268 140 138 51-65 989 517 499 241 213 231 229 Male Non-Diabetics 1065 205 155 670 650 190 176 Female Diabetics 35-40 85 22 21 42 41 21 19 41-50 207 61 60 111 109 35 31 51-65 451 104 84 313 282 34 25 Female Non-Diabetics 768 198 168 480 430 90 85 5000 1800 1639 2318 2170 882 943 HDL Cholesterol (Normal 50-75 Mgm) After Three Months Age Group No. Of Patients 20-25 Normal 26-30 Normal 31-35 Normal Male Diabetics 35-40 612 401 390 176 174 35 34 41-50 823 509 478 289 279 25 19 51-65 989 610 580 260 250 119 111 Male Non-Diabetics 1065 304 254 677 647 84 80 Female Diabetics 35-40 85 15 12 50 49 20 20 41-50 207 101 97 98 96 8 7 51-65 451 156 126 258 238 37 28 Female Non-Diabetics 768 212 180 476 418 86 85 5000 2308 2117 2278 2151 414 384 Blood Sugar Levels Before & After Treatmet Age Group No. Of Patients Fasting 110-115 Normal Fasting 116-150 Normal P.P 161-250 Normal P.P 251-400 Normal Male Diabetics 35-40 612 398 394 214 208 405 399 207 203 41-50 823 564 554 259 247 530 518 293 283 51-65 989 598 538 391 364 611 553 378 349 Female Diabetics 35-40 85 48 45 37 35 42 40 43 40 41-50 207 140 136 67 65 131 126 76 75 51-65 451 299 259 152 145 305 275 146 129 3167 2047 1926 1120 1064 2024 1911 1143 1079 Drug Therapy Verapamil Beta-Blockers ISDN Digoxin & Diurects 40-80 mgm in 2 divided doses (mild cases) 40-60 mgm in 2 divided doses in mild cases to non-diabetics 10 mgm 3 to 4 times per day 0.25 mgm of digoxin & dytide 1 tab./day & & 80-120 mgm in 3 divided doses (moderate cases) to diabetics 80-120 mgm in 3 divided doses in moderate cases to non-diabetics Most of the patients started responding from second week after the therapy was instituted. The improvement was noticed in the form of disappearance of angina pectoris and feeling of well being. The ECG changes also started improving and from 3 months to one year all patients, except 348, had normal tracing even after treadmill (Table VIII). None of the patients suffered fresh myocardial infarction during the study. The lipid profile also started improving after three months of institution of therapy (Table IX). Out of 5000 patients, 4652 patients had their normal levels of serum cholesterol ranging from 160 Mgm to 240 Mgm%, serum triglycerides from 50-90 Mgm% (Table X). Total lipids from 500 Mgm to 800 Mgm% (Table XI), HDL cholesterol ranging from 50 Mgm to 75 Mgm% (Table XII). Out of 3167 diabetic patients, the blood sugar values, fasting and post parendial, started coming down to normal levels (Table XIII) except in 177 patients, and all the oral hypoglycemic agents had to be withdrawn by the end of two months of therapy. On the contrary, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, isosorbide dinitrate and diuretics, etc., which the patients were taking for hypertension and angina control, could not be withdrawn completely (Table XIV) but their doses substantially reduced to half of the quantity which they were taking. Similarly the hypertensive patients did not show any significant change in their blood pressure levels. Total number of patients who did not respond to treatment were 525 (348 ischaemic and177 diabetics out of 5000 patients). In the present study it has been noticed that the plant had a definite role in the prevention and management of atherosclerotic heart disease. The plant also had a definite role in controlling the blood sugar level in diabetic patients. The exact mechanism of the plant Aloe vera and Husk of Isabgol is not known but it appears that both these substances act by their high fibre contents and these substances need further evaluation. In the entire study no untoward side effect was noticed and all the patients were followed for a period of five years from July 1978 to June 1983 and all the patients turned up for regular follow up and till date all the 5000 patients are surviving. The diabetic patients, except 177 patients, are on diet control alone andnone of them has ever complained about any hypoglycemic episode during the study. There is no such study available in medical literature where such a large number (5000 patients) of patients are being followed up for five years and no Indian plant has ever been tried with such success. So this is a unique study of its own type. To conclude, the Indian plant Aloe vera, when mixed with the Husk of Isabgol, was given to the patients of atherosclerotic heart disease, there was a definite and substantial improvement (about 95%) in their clinical profile apart from biochemical changes and ECG tracings. These two substances need further evaluation to find out the exact mechanism of action on atherosclerosis. Appreciation to my wife, Smt. Dr. Poonam Agarwal, for her excellent co-operation incarrying out the present study.