Effect of a Standardized Mung Bean (Vigna radiata)–Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Juice Intervention on Hemoglobin Concentration in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Controlled Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Background: Chemotherapy-induced bone marrow suppression is a major contributor to anemia among patients receiving cytotoxic treatment and may adversely affect fatigue, treatment tolerance, and health-related quality of life. Mung bean (Vigna radiata) provides dietary iron, folate, and protein, whereas guava (Psidium guajava L.) is a rich source of vitamin C, which facilitates the absorption of non-heme iron. Although previous research has suggested that a combined mung bean–guava juice preparation may increase hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, the available evidence has largely been derived from uncontrolled pre–post studies, limiting causal interpretation. Evidence from controlled studies remains limited.
Objective: To evaluate the association between a standardized mung bean–guava juice intervention and changes in Hb concentration among patients undergoing chemotherapy in West Aceh District, Indonesia, using a concurrent control group.
Methods: A quantitative, controlled quasi-experimental study with a pretest–posttest control-group design was conducted among 60 patients undergoing chemotherapy. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling and allocated through a predetermined non-randomized procedure to an intervention group (n = 30) or control group (n = 30). The intervention group received a standardized mung bean–guava juice preparation at a 1:1 ratio, administered orally once daily for seven consecutive days following chemotherapy. The control group received routine chemotherapy and standard supportive care without the juice intervention. Hb concentration was assessed at baseline before chemotherapy and again after the seven-day observation period. Within-group changes were assessed using paired-samples t-tests, while between-group differences in Hb change (ΔHb) were evaluated using an independent-samples t-test. Categorical Hb status was compared using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05.
Results: In the intervention group, mean Hb concentration increased from 10.74 ± 1.89 g/dL at baseline to 12.47 ± 1.69 g/dL at posttest, corresponding to a mean increase of 1.73 g/dL (paired t-test, t = 6.77, p < 0.001). In the control group, mean Hb increased from 11.16 ± 1.78 g/dL to 11.93 ± 1.82 g/dL, corresponding to a mean increase of 0.77 g/dL (t = 3.02, p = 0.005). The between-group difference in ΔHb was 0.96 g/dL in favor of the intervention group and was statistically significant (independent-samples t-test, t = 2.66, p = 0.010; 95% CI, 0.24–1.68 g/dL). The proportion of participants achieving adequate Hb status increased from 23.3% to 73.3% in the intervention group and from 33.3% to 50.0% in the control group; however, the posttest between-group difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.111; Fisher's exact test, p = 0.110).
Conclusion: Seven days of standardized mung bean–guava juice supplementation was associated with a significantly greater increase in Hb concentration than standard supportive care alone among patients undergoing chemotherapy. The findings provide controlled preliminary evidence supporting the potential role of this accessible, culturally familiar nutritional intervention as an adjunct to chemotherapy supportive care.