Natual Indian Herb Aids Diabetic Treatment

Lowering blood sugar has been found to reduce the risk of chronic disease-related complications, such as kidney disease, nerve damage, amputations and blindness in diabetic patients. Yet the lack of compliance many patients display in taking diabetic medications hinders the effectiveness of this flawed approach.

With that in mind, researchers may have uncovered an alternative treatment for controlling blood glucose levels that deters the need for pill popping: An herb that can be taken with food or in a beverage.

The herb, Salacia oblonga, is native to regions of India and Sri Lanka. It attaches to intestinal enzymes, known as alpha-glucosidases, which break down carbohydrates in the body; the enzymes turn the carbohydrates into glucose. However, if the enzymes attach to the herbal extract instead of the carbohydrate, then less glucose gets into the bloodstream, resulting in lowered blood glucose and insulin levels.

Testing the Affect of Salacia Oblonga

A study involved 39 healthy adults who participated in four separate meal tolerance tests--the meals were given in chilled beverage form and spaced three to 14 days apart.

Each participant fasted for at least 10 hours prior to consuming the test beverage.

Participants drank approximately two cups worth of the beverage, which contained zero, 500, 700 or 1,000 milligrams of the extract.

Afterward, researchers used the finger-prick method to draw blood samples from each participant every 15-30 minutes for three hours.

Findings from the study showed the most dramatic reduction in insulin and blood glucose levels resulted from the highest concentration of the herbal extract--1,000 milligrams. In fact, insulin levels were 29 percent lower and blood glucose levels were 23 percent lower, compared to the control drink (zero herbal extract).

Moreover, the test beverages containing the herbal extract caused an increase in breath hydrogen excretion, as well as minimal gastrointestinal discomfort in the participants.

Journal of the American Dietetic Association January, 2005;105(1):65-71
Science Daily February 20, 2005
The Ohio State University February 7, 2005