Effect of consumption of vegetables and fruit on nitric oxide levels and T-glutathione levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is closely related to cardiovascular disease and oxidative stress.It is characterized by vascular dysfunction, such as endothelial cell inability to produce nitric oxide (NO) or decreased NO availability. Glutathione (GSH), an antioxidant that contributes to preventing free radicals and reducing oxidative stress. Several studies have shown that the intake of foods such as vegetables and fruits containing both GSH and NO or their components can increase it and maintain NO homeostasis. This study aims to see how different vegetables and fruit consumption habits affect NO levels and T-GSH levels in blood plasma. This research method is analytic observational with cross sectional findings, the sample used is 85 subjects in the form of archives of biological materials. Data on habits of consuming vegetables and fruits were collected through interviews, NO levels and T-GSH levels in plasma were determined biochemically using the Elabscience® NO and GSH Assay Kit, then analyzed using the Mann Whitney test. According to the findings, the mean levels of NO and T-GSH in the blood plasma of T2DM patients, respectively, in patients who had the habit of consuming vegetables and fruits and those who did not, were for NO (108.34 ± 97.03) μmol/L and (135.97±112.87) μmol/L, for T-GSH were (13.54 ± 3.34) μmol/L and (12.73 ± 1.44) μmol/L. There was, however, no statistically significant difference between the two parameters (p > 0.05). This study provides information that the habit of consuming vegetables and fruit does not provide a significant difference to the levels of NO and levels of T-GSH in blood plasma in patients with T2DM. But these habits still need to be done for health maintenance.