GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE -SCIENTIFIC PAPER 29

Ankit Saneja, Chetan Sharma, K.R. Aneja, Rakesh Pahwa. Gymnema Sylvestre (Gurmar): A Review. Der Pharmacia Lettre 2010: 2 (1) 275-284. Gymnema Sylvestre R. Br. (Asclepiadaceae) is a herb distributed throughout the world. The leaves of the plant are widely used for the treatment of diabetes and as a diuretic in Indian proprietary medicines. Gymnemic acid is the main active chemical constituent isolated from the Gymnema Sylvestre plant. The plant is documented to possess beneficial effects as digestive, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, hypoglycemic and antihelmentic. It is believed to be used in dyspepsia, constipation, jaundice, haemorrhoids, cardiopathy, asthma, bronchitis and leucoderma. A scrutiny of literature revealed some notable pharmacological activities of the plant such as antidiabetic, antiobesity, hypolipidaemic, antimicrobial, free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory. The present review is an attempt to highlight the various ethnobotanical and traditional uses as well as phytochemical and pharmacological reports on G. sylvestre. 1. Renu Paliwal, Saroj Kathori and Bhupendra Upadhyay. Effect of Gurmar (Gymnema sylvestre) Powder Intervention on the Blood Glucose Levels among Diabetics. EthnoMed, 3(2): 133-135 (2009). ABSTRACT Gymnema sylvestre is a natural herb. The present study was conducted to study the effect of gurmar leafpowder intervention on the blood glucose level of 20 non-insulin dependent diabetic women, (40-60) years residingin the Udaipur city, Rajasthan. Subjects selected were taking no oral hypoglycemic drug (i.e. newly diagnosed) and werewilling to participate in the intervention study. Information regarding name, age, religion, lifestyle pattern, wascollected with the help of interview schedule. Anthropometric parameters were collected prior to intervention toassess the nutritional status. Blood glucose levels were assessed before and after intervention period by using one touchhorizon glucometer. Everyday 6 gm of gurmar leaf powder was used to intervene the subjects in three divided doses.Dietary survey using 24 hours recall method was also done. (3 days-once in a week). Results of intervention revealedthat gurmar leaf powder had positive and encouraging effects over blood glucose levels. No adverse effect wasobserved on the health status of the subjects and it can thus be concluded that gurmar powder is effective in loweringthe fasting as well as postprandial blood glucose levels.