Introduction: Various herbs have been used as treatment and prevention for several chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and triglyceridemia ; one of those herbs is Rosemary, which has biological antioxidant mechanisms . Rosemary is a thorny Rhamnaceous plant which is widely distributed in Europe and South-Eastern Asia. It’s used in traditional medicine for its therapeutic properties. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis ) leaves powder on glucose level and lipid profile in human. Material and Methods: Forty eight adults’ men and women participated in this study which has been carried out in the UOK University. The participants were randomly selected and divided into 3 groups. The first group was given 2 g/day of Rosemary leaves powder, the second group was given 5 g/day of Rosemary leaves powder while the third group was given 10 g/day of Rosemary leaves powder for a period of 4 weeks. Blood samples were analyzed for glucose, lipid profile and antioxidant at the beginning and the end of the study and the results were statistically analyzed. Results: The results indicated that a significant decrease in blood glucose level in the groups given 5 g and 10 g of the herb powder was observed but the difference was more significant in the group given 10 g/day. Values for total cholesterol and triglycerides were very significantly lower in the three treated groups. LDL-C level was significantly lower in the group given 10 g of the herb powder, while the increased levels of HDL-C was statistically significant in the group that was given 10 g/day. With regard to lipid peroxidation, giving 10 g/day of Rosemary leaves powder decreased significantly MDA and GR values whereas significantly increases the values of vitamin C and β carotene. Conclusion: In conclusion Rosmarinus officinalis appears to improve not only hyperglycemia but also dyslipidemia in a dose dependent manner and decreases lipid peroxidation through increasing antioxidants levels and this will reduce the risk of chronic disease such as cardiovascular disease.
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