Diabetes mellitus

Diabetes is characterized by inappropriate hyperglycemia resulting from a deficiency of insulin, a reduction in its effectiveness, or both. The

Chapter eight: Endocrine and metabolic problems 161 condition is normally treated by diet, the administration of exogenous

insulin, or the use of oral hypoglycemic drugs. The latter function, at least in part, stimulates the β-cells of the pancreas to produce more insulin.

A large number of plants have been shown to exert hypoglycemic effects in small animal studies. However, most of these plants have not been adequately tested in human beings to demonstrate conclusively their safety and utility as a substitute for insulin or for the oral hypoglycemic

drugs. 42 Further, none of them is currently marketed in the form of a prep- aration with standardized activity. This would be an absolute necessity if they were to be used to control hyperglycemia successfully.

During the past decade, the results of preliminary trials assessing the antidiabetic potential of a number of herbal preparations have been pub- lished. Forty diabetic Thai women, aged thirty-five to sixty years, were administered 1 tablespoon of Aloe vera gel juice (80 percent) twice a day for at least two weeks. Blood sugar and triglyceride levels in the treated group were significantly reduced compared to the control group on “a

carminative mixture” (unspecified); cholesterol levels were not affected. 43

A study involving thirty men and thirty women with type 2 diabetes, aged 52.2 ± 6.3 years, randomly assigned subjects to six groups. Groups 1,

2, and 3 consumed 1, 3, or 6 g of ground cinnamon (Cinnamomun cassia J. Presl, family Lauraceae; 1 g = 2 × 500-mg capsules) daily, respectively, for forty days; this was followed by a twenty-day washout period. Groups 4,

5, and 6 were given corresponding numbers of capsules containing wheat flour as placebo. Mean fasting serum glucose levels were reduced after forty days by all three levels of cinnamon intake (18–29 percent), as were levels of triglycerides (23–30 percent), LDL cholesterol (7–27 percent), and total cholesterol (12–26 percent); no significant changes were noted in the placebo group. 44

The effect of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L., family Fabaceae) seeds on glycemic control and insulin resistance in mild type 2 diabetes was assessed in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with twenty-five newly diagnosed patients. Group 1 (n = 12) received 1 g/day of hydroal- coholic extract of fenugreek seeds; group 2 (n = 13) received usual care

(dietary control, exercise) and placebo capsules for two months. Fasting blood glucose and two-hour postglucose blood glucose were not significantly different in the two groups, but area under the curve (AUC) of blood glucose as well as insulin was significantly lower (p < 0.001). HOMA model-derived insulin resistance showed a decrease in percent β-cell secretion in group 4 as compared to group 2 (86.3 ± 32 vs. 70.1 ± 52)

and increase in percent insulin sensitivity (112.9 ± 67 vs. 92.2 ± 57) (p < 0.05). Also, serum triglycerides decreased and HDL cholesterol increased significantly in group 1 as compared to group 2 (p < 0.05). 45

The long-term effect of supplementation with tablets of spirulina (Spirulina platensis), a blue-green algae, on blood sugar levels, serum lipid

162 Tyler's herbs of choice: The therapeutic use of phytomedicinals profiles, and glycated protein levels in non-insulin-dependent diabetes

mellitus (NIDDM) (type 2 DM) was assessed in fifteen NIDDM patients (seven males, eight females); the control group consisted of seven NIDDM patients (four males, three female). After two months, patients in the experimental group, who received 2 g of spirulina daily, experienced

a 34 percent decrease in glycated serum proteins and a significant (p =

40.01) decrease (27 percent) in fasting blood sugar. Triglyceride levels were decreased by 22 percent, free fatty acids by 34 percent, and total cholesterol by 11 percent. 46

Diabetes mellitus