Herbal remedies 2: Diabetes

BPHA 3302

Amber Rivero

Mr. Yusuf Abubakar

May,10,2021
 Diabetes

According to the World Health Organization more than four hundred twenty million

people worldwide have diabetes and it is expected to increase. Diabetes mellitus also known as

diabetes is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar. The hormone insulin moves sugar

from the blood into the cells to be stored or used for energy. (Watson, 2020) Diabetes is a disease

that occurs when the blood glucose is too high. The blood glucose is the main source of energy

and it is formed from the food a person eats. There are different types of diabetes such as type 1,

type 2 and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is when the body doesn’t make enough insulin.

This type of diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. People with this type of

diabetes need to take insulin every day to stay healthy and alive. Type 2 diabetes is when the

body doesn’t produce any insulin or produce damaged insulin that doesn't work. This type can

occur at any age but mostly in middle age and older humans. It is the most common type of

diabetes known to people all over the world. Gestational diabetes develops in women that are

pregnant. It usually goes away after the baby is born, women with this type of diabetes have a

greater chance of developing type2 diabetes late during their life. Many other problems or issues

occur while having diabetes such as heart disease, stroke, eye problems and nerve damage.

(NIDDK, 2016)

Some herbal products that can be used to treat as an alternative medication are Guar

Gum, Karela, Gymnema Sylvestre. Guar Gum is obtained from the ground endosperms of the

seed of Cyamopsis tetragonolobus. It is an indegenous plant in Africa and parts of Asia, its a

source of fibre and can be used as an aid in the treatment of diabetes. Taking guar gum with a

meal might lower post meal blood sugar levels in people with type 1 diabetes. Guar gum is taken

fifteen grams per day by mouth with meals. (RxList, 2019) Karela is also known as bitter melon
or bitter gourd, the more it gets ripe the more sour it tastes. It grows in Asia, South America,

Caribbean and East Africa. It can be eaten in the form of a vegetable, made into a tea or as a

supplement. (Silver, 2021) It grows off the vine as a green, oblong shaped fruit and it contains

three active substances with antidiabetic properties which includes charanti that has been

established to have lower blood glucose. Vicine and an insulin like compound known as

polypeptide-p. Also it contains a lectin that reduces blood glucose concentrations by acting on

the peripheral tissue and suppressing the appetite similar to the effect of insulin in the brain.

(Diabetes.co.uk editor, 2019) There is no standard dosage for bitter melon as a medical treatment

at this time.

Gymnema Sylvestre is a woody climbing shrub that is natural in India and Africa. It is

used to make medicine for the treatment of diabetes and other health problems. Taking a specific

gymnema extra known as GS4 by mouth in combination with insulin or any diabetic medication

can improve the reduction of blood glucose in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This type

of herbal remedy contains substances that decrease the absorption of sugar from the intestine. It

can also increase the amount of insulin in the body and increase growth of cells in the pancreas.

(RxList, 2019) The leaves of the gymnema plant have been used in the ancient Indian medicinal

practice Ayurveda for thousands of years. It is also known as gurmar which is Hindi for destroyer

of sugar. It can block receptors in the intestine and sugar absorption which lowers post-meal

blood sugar levels. Gymnema may stimulate insulin production in the pancreas promoting the

regeneration of insulin producing islet cells or beta cells. It can be consumed as a tea or by

chewing the leaves in western medicine its taken in tablet form or as an extract or powder form.

Dosage as a tea is boiled for five minutes then let steep for ten to fifteen minutes before drinking.

As a powder it starts with two grams increasing to four grams if no side effects occur orally. As
a capsule it is one hundred milligram taken three to four times daily to block the sugar receptors

on the tongue, take a supplement with wate five to ten minutes before a high sugar meal or

snack. Some side effects include headache, nausea, lightheadedness, shakiness and dizziness. It

should not be taken with aspirin or St.John’s Wort because it can increase the blood sugar

lowering effects of the herbal remedy. (Goodson, 2018)

In conclusion diabetes is a very well known disease around the world that affects a lot of

people. It affects the pancreas by not producing insulin, damaging insulin or not enough for the

body to break down the sugar in the blood. There are three types of diabetes known as type-1,

type-2 and gestational diabetes which is found only in pregnant women. There are regular

synthetic medications that can be used such as metformin, and glyburide or in combination

together. Also there are many other medications that can be used. During the research for this

paper i found three types of herbal remedies that can be used for the treatment of diabetes they

are guar gum, Karela also known as bitter melon, and Gymnema Sylvestre. These three herbal

remedies can be found in the forms of tea, tablets and powder that can be taken orally with a

meal so that the post- meal sugar levels. Herbal supplements can be an aid in the treatment of

diabetes but it isn't certain for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

 Bibliography

Diabetes.co.uk editor. (2019, January 15). Natural Therapies: Bitter Melon and Diabetes.

Diabetes.co.uk. Retrieved April 19, 2021, from

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Goodson, A. (2018, June 18). 6 Impressive Health Benefits of Gymnema Sylvestre. Healthline.

Retrieved May 10, 2021, from

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gymnema-sylvestre-benefits

NIDDK. (2016, December n.d.). What is Diabetes. NIH:NIDDK. Retrieved May 10, 2021, from

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes#:~:text

=Diabetes%20is%20a%20disease%20that,to%20be%20used%20for%20energy.

RxList. (2019, September 17). Guar Gum. Vitamins, herbs, dietary supplements a-z list.

Retrieved May 9, 2021, from https://www.rxlist.com/guar_gum/supplements.htm

RxList. (2019, September 17). Vitamins, herbs, dietary supplements a-z list: Gymnema. RxList.

Retrieved April 19, 2021, from https://www.rxlist.com/gymnema/supplemetns.htm

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from

https://healthline.com/health/diabetes/diet-myths#Food-Fix:-Foods-That-Are-Good-for-D

iabetes

Watson, S. (2020, February 26). Everything You Need to Know About Diabetes. Healthline.

Retrieved May 10, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes