Alternative medicine practitioners understand the value of natural remedies made from plants containing anti-diabetic agents for treating diabetes. Madhumeha, Indian for "diabetes," means “sweet, excessive urination”. Ancient Ayurvedic healers depended on signs like sweet-smelling urine and excessive thirst as a flag for suspecting diabetes symptoms.
Diabetes Treatments and Herbal Remedies
There is sufficient evidence from experimental and clinical research trials as well as reviews of medical literature to prove the efficacy of herbal remedies in diabetes treatment. Herbal remedies and controlled diabetes diets are the herbal remedy treatment of choice for diabetes.
Four Indian herbal remedies made from extracts from plants containing hypoglycemic agents are documented in "Ayurvedic Interventions for Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review" as safe for diabetes treatment. The four herbs are: coccinia indica, holy basil, fenugreek seeds, and gymnema sylvestre R. Br. While these natural remedies are not a diabetes cure, their use in diabetes treatment plans has proven them to be dependable natural remedies.
Why Natural Remedies to Treat Diabetes?
Why would someone choose the alternative medicine route of using Indian anti-diabetic plants for diabetes treatment? Safety - because the diabetogenic agent is extracted from living plants, the final result is a pure natural product which does not cause side effects.
Traditionally, natural remedies are less expensive than prescription drugs. Continued use of herbal remedies from anti-diabetic plants may reduce the need for drugs for diabetes treatment or lower the dosage needed for treatment.
Natural Remedies
Coccinia Indica, also known as ivy gourd, has been shown in research trials to be a herbal remedy which lowers blood sugars as efficiently as prescription drugs. The ripened fruit of the plant is eaten, or the leaves are powdered and mixed with milk.
Holy Basil, or tulsi, is known in alternative medicine as an herbal remedy and is often called the “Queen of Herbs.” The active pharmaceutical agents are oil of eugenol (clove oil), flavonoids (antioxidants), and triterpenoids (natural anti-inflammatory compounds). Clinical trials show it to be efficacious in diabetes treatment for lowering glucose levels. Alternative medicine healers use the leaves to make diabetic herbal medicines.
Fenugreek seeds contain anti-diabetic agents, but because of their bitterness, they are traditionally taken in capsule form.
Gymnema sylvestre R. Br. contains the active antidiabetogenic agent gurmenic acid which is similar to saccharose. The leaves are used in alternative medicine for herbal therapy to lower blood sugars and reduce cravings for sugar. They may be chewed or ground to powder and drunk with milk. In Hindu, the plant is named Gur-mar, which translates to "sugar destroyer."
Herbal Remedies are Safe
Safe natural remedies for diabetes treatment are available. An alternative medicine practitioner should be consulted for advice on herbal remedies and herbal supplements to treat diabetes symptoms. If you are taking insulin or oral hypoglygemic drugs, be sure to consult your healthcare professional before using any anti-diabetogenic supplements.
The information provided in this article is not intended to substitute for medical advice from a health care professional. It should not be used for diagnosing or treating health problems.
Sources:
Hardy M, Coulter I, Venuturupalli S, et al." Ayurvedic Interventions for Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review". Evidence Report/Technology Assessment No. 41 (Prepared by Southern California Evidence-based Practice Center/RANDunder Contract No. 290-97-0001). AHRQ Publication No. 01-E040; 2001, accessed 01/28/2010
Purdue University, "Gudmar or Merasingi (Gymnema Sylvestre R. Br.)", accessed 01/30/2010
Hartwick College, “Effect of Coccinia indica on Blood Glucose Levels in Alloxan-induced Diabetic Mice", accessed 01/30/2010
University of Michigan Health System, Healthnotes, 09/01/2007, accessed 01/30/2010
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