Effect of Combined Extracts of Acalypha australis, Andrographis paniculata, and Nigella sativa as Adjunctive Therapy on Fasting Blood Glucose: A Pilot Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Background: This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effect of a combined extract of Acalypha australis, Andrographis paniculata, and Nigella sativa on fasting blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design with repeated measurements over 30 days. Benodem (POM TR193337421) contained a combination of Acalypha australis (250 mg), Andrographis paniculata (200 mg), and Nigella sativa (100 mg) extracts per capsule. A total of 45 participants were equally allocated into three groups: a control group receiving metformin 500 mg twice daily, intervention group 1 receiving Benodem 3 × 2 capsules/day (3,300 mg/day) plus metformin, and intervention group 2 receiving Benodem 2 × 2 capsules/day (2,200 mg/day) plus metformin. Results: Baseline fasting blood glucose levels were 244 ± 58.8 mg/dL in the control group, 320 ± 56.8 mg/dL in intervention group 1, and 204 ± 37.8 mg/dL in intervention group 2. After 30 days, only the intervention groups showed significant reductions (p < 0.001), with the largest decrease in intervention group 1 at 153 mg/dL, followed by intervention group 2 at 72.9 mg/dL. The Kruskal–Wallis test indicated an overall between-group difference in week-4 change (p < 0.001); however, baseline imbalance and the non-randomized design mean that these findings should be interpreted as preliminary. Conclusions: The herbal combination may serve as a promising complementary therapy for improving fasting blood glucose control, although larger, long-term studies are needed to confirm its efficacy and safety.