7 Herbs for Diabetic Treatment
By Janet Contursi
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder that involves the way your body produces and uses insulin. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the pancreas cannot produce insulin, or produces too little. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance, a condition in which your body builds resistance to the amount of insulin produced and continually requires more. Herbs for diabetes work to lower blood sugar and relieve the organ damage caused by diabetes.
Garlic
Garlic acts against the oxidative stress and free-radical damage produced by high blood sugar. In the 2009 issue of "Nutrition Research and Practice," a report by lead author Dr. Y.M. Lee found that the antioxidants in garlic may prevent diabetic complications like heart and kidney disease. The researchers also found that aged black garlic has higher levels of antioxidants than regular garlic, with a greater potential for preventing diabetic complications.
Lingonberry
Lingonberry has been used medicinally by indigenous groups in northern climates for centuries. In a study reported in the 2009 issue of "Phytotherapy Research," lead author Dr. L.P. Beaulieu looked at how the Cree of Eeyou Istchee, Quebec, use lingonberry extract to successfully treat diabetes and diabetic complications. Dr. Beaulieu identified the flavonoids in lingonberry as the main antidiabetic agents.
Fenugreek Seed
Fenugreek seed is popular in Indian Ayurvedic medicine for its hypoglycemic actions. In a study published in the January 2010 issue of "Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology," lead author Dr. K. Hamden looked at the immune system and organ damage caused by diabetes. He found that fenugreek oil was an insulin stimulant, a potent antioxidant, and an immune system modulator, and improved the kidney and pancreas damage in the test animals.
Ginseng
Ginseng has potent antidiabetic properties. In a study published in the 2009 issue of "Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine," Drs. J.Z. Luo and L. Luo found that the ginsenosides in ginseng work in two ways: they support beta cells in the pancreas, which produce and release insulin, and they reduce insulin resistance. The authors conclude that ginseng root directly affects the pancreas and increases insulin production.
Cayenne
Cayenne is an effective topical pain reliever. In his 2003 book, "Medical Herbalism: the Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine," herbalist David Hoffmann recommends a topical cream of 0.025 or 0.075 percent capsaicin, an active ingredient in cayenne, to treat the pain of diabetic neuropathy.
Basil
Basil is popular in Indian Ayurvedic medicine to treat diabetes. In a study reported in the 2008 issue of "Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine," lead author Dr. M. Bhat found that basil can relieve postprandial hyperglycemia, an excessive rise in blood sugar after eating. Basil inhibited a-amylase, an enzyme in saliva that breaks down starches into sugars, and it inhibited glucosidases, enzymes in the pancreas and intestines that break down complex carbohydrates into sugar.
Olive tree
The olive tree has been used medicinally for centuries. In a study published in the 2009 issue of the "British Journal of Nutrition," the lead author, Dr. T. Cvjetićanin, found that olive-leaf extract interfered with the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines---signaling molecules involved in producing inflammation---and blocked the destruction of beta cells in the pancreas that make and release insulin.
References
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About this Author
Janet Contursi has a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Minnesota and has been a freelance writer for 23 years. Her articles have appeared in professional journals, magazines, newspapers, and on the Web. Contursi has a Master Herbalist diploma from the American College of Healthcare and Sciences. Her interests are the environment, herbal medicine, and forensic science
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