Diabetes
Research
Alternative
& Complementary Therapies
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Ayurvedic
& Diabetes
A study conducted at the Depart-ment of Endocrinology and Metabolism,
IPGME & R and SSKM Hospital, Calcutta investigated an Ayurvedic herbal
compound containing guar gum, methi, tundika, and mesha shringi.
Sixty-seven diabetic patients and 12 nor-mal subjects were selected for
a clinical study, which consisted of 2 phases. In phase 1 of the study,
out of 25 diabetics (both insulin dependent and non-insulin dependent)
only those in the age group of 41-50 years (i.e. 11 cases) showed lowering
of mean high blood sugar level in all samples from 1/2 an-hour to 2 hours
with the test drug. But in phase 2 of the study there was lowering of
blood sugar level with the Ayurvedic compound and with 2 of its
constituents (i.e. guar gum and methi) when used separately in 42
Non-insulin dependent diabetics: - While there was some blood sugar
level lowering effect with guar gum and methi when used separately in 12
normal subjects in phase 2 study, it was not as significant as the
insulin-lowering effects of the Ayurvedic compound.
The report concluded that the results indicate that the Ayurvedic
herbal compound is effective as an adjuvant to conventional treatment for
non-insulin dependent diabetics.
Sadhukhan B; Roychowdhury U; Banerjee P; Sen S. Clinical evaluation of
a herbal antidiabetic product. I Indian Med Assoc (INDIA) Apr 1994, 92 (4)
p115-7
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Traditional
Chinese Medicine
& Diabetes
According to a recent French study at the
Universite Paris-Nord, hospital Jean-Verdier, France, TCM (traditional
Chinese herbal medicine) offers effective treatment for patients diagnosed
with type 2 diabetes. The French researchers evaluated the efficacy of a
traditional Chinese treatment based on three plants in association with a
sulfonylurea, glibenclamide (2.5 mg x 3/d). A randomized double-blind
trial was established involving 4 groups of patients, all of whom were
type 2 diabetic outpatients, 40-70 years of age, being treated by diet
alone or oral anti-diabetic drugs.
216 patients from five different medical centres took part in the
trial. Blood tests were used to monitor changes in blood sugar levels and
insulaemia. The re-searchers found that those patients receiving the TCM
treatment experienced significantly decreased blood glucose values only 2
hours after the test meal, although the beneficial effects were
com-pounded when combined with glibenclamide. Hypoglycaemia occurred in 19
patients in the control groups but no instances were recorded in the TCM
group.
This was the first multi centre controlled trial of TCM in relation to
diabetes and the three Chinese plants tested were found to be
well-tolerated and effective in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.
Hope-fully further research in this field will follow.
Vray M.; Attali JR.. Randomized study of glibenclamide versus
traditional Chinese treatment in type 2 diabetic patients. Diabetes et
Metabolisme
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Vegetarianism
&
Diabetes
Snowdon
(1985) found type II diabetes to be only half as common as a cause of death
amongst the largely vegetarian Seventh Day Adventist population as in the
general population.
An average vegetarian diet closely matches the
British Diabetic Association’s recommendations for diabetic patients.
Vegetarian diets tend to be high in complex carbohydrates and dietary
fibre, which has a beneficial effect on carbohydrate metabolism, lowering
blood sugar levels. The leanness of vegetarians also contributes to
reduced incidence of diabetes. Diabetes is often associated with raised
blood cholesterol levels and a vegetarian diet confers protection against
this.
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