Herbal Medicines in Diabetes

The use of herbal medicines in diabetes is promising but still far from proven. The purpose of this article is to examine the effect of herbal medicines in the treatment of diabetes, focusing on potential benefits and risks. Medline, expert interviews, books, articles and internet searches were used to identify herbal medicines with anti-diabetic properties and their diabetes-related health effects, proposed anti- diabetic effect, adverse effects, contraindications and drug interactions. Forty five herbs with known effect in the treatment of diabetes were selected for review, including: Trigonella foenum graecum L, Allium cepa L. & Allim sativum L., Silybum marianum, Mamordica charantia L., Camellia sinensis L. Morus nigra L., Gymnema sylvestre L., Ginkgo biloba L., …. Anti-diabetic health effects included increasing serum insulin, decreasing blood glucose, increasing glucose metabolism, and/or stimulating pancreatic function. Side effects were few or not reported. Many herbal medicines can be used for treatment, prevention and control of diabetes and as a component of diabetic patients’ diet. Of course some of these plants have adverse effects, contraindications, and drug interactions and also interactions between herbal medicines and synthetic drugs exist and may cause serious clinical consequences however at these researches side effects were few or not reported, but patients should inform their physician of the use of herbal products and consider the possibility of herb-drug interactions.