blood sugar regulation

 It is well known that there are symptoms of inflammation, insulin resistance (IR), and oxidative stress connected with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (Maithili Karpaga Selvi et al., 2015). Culinary herbs and spices have been used as traditional medicine for diabetes and there are scientific studies supporting its use addressing many of these issues associated T2DM (Pereira et al., 2019). One such study looked into the bioactive compounds of common herbs and spices, and their molecular mechanisms for the treatment of diabetes (Pereira et al., 2019). Compounds like “achillin B from yarrow, asparasaponin I from fenugreek, bisdemethoxycurcumin from turmeric, carlinoside from lemongrass, cinnamtannin B1 from cinnamon, crocin from saffron and glabridin from liquorice” have all demonstrated such potential T2DM management abilities (Pereira et al., 2019). 

The use of fenugreek as a food has shown an ability in lowering blood sugar (Losso et al., 2009). A study made a bread with fenugreek and that bread contained fenugreek's functional property of reducing IR (Losso et al., 2009). Another herb, Gymnema sylvestre, has hypoglycemic properties (Tiwari, Ahmad, & Baig, 2017). A 2017 article explored the significance of G. sylvestre in diabetes management (Tiwari, Ahmad, & Baig, 2017). Cinnamon, with its rich botanical source of polyphenolics has been shown to affect blood glucose and insulin signaling (Davis, & Yokoyama, 2011). A meta-analysis of clinical studies of the effect of cinnamon intake on people with T2DM showed cinnamon's effectiveness in lowering fasting blood glucose (FBG). Cinnamon intake resulted in significant lowering of FBG and thus improved FBG in people with T2DM (Davis, & Yokoyama, 2011).

A 2015 study uncovered the effect of turmeric as an adjuvant to anti-diabetic therapy. Turmeric supplementation as an adjuvant to T2DM on metformin treatment had a beneficial effect on blood glucose, oxidative stress and inflammation (Maithili Karpaga Selvi et al., 2015). The traditional  Chinese herb extract Berberine, effectively lowered blood sugar, ameliorated IR, managed T2DM and positively regulated intestinal flora. Lastly, Green tea was effective at prevention of T2DM (Tsuneki et al., 2004). A study provided evidence of improvement in glucose metabolism in diabetic mice and healthy people with green tea consumption and that green tea had an antidiabetic effect. 

There are many avenues to manage T2DM without pharmaceutical intervention and side by side with them. Herbs are both a great alternative and adjuvant to diabetes medication. These are just some of the herbs for managing diabetes and the best part is that there is a synergistic quality of using them together in combination. 

References

Davis, P. A., & Yokoyama, W. (2011). Cinnamon intake lowers fasting blood glucose: Meta-analysis. Journal of Medicinal Food, 14(9), 884–889. https://doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2010.0180

Li, C., He, J.-Z., Zhou, X.-D., & Xu, X. (2017). [Berberine regulates type 2 diabetes mellitus related with insulin resistance]. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi = Zhongguo Zhongyao Zazhi = China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica, 42(12), 2254–2260. https://doi.org/10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.20170307.014

Losso, J. N., Holliday, D. L., Finley, J. W., Martin, R. J., Rood, J. C., Yu, Y., & Greenway, F. L. (2009). Fenugreek bread: A treatment for diabetes mellitus. Journal of Medicinal Food, 12(5), 1046–1049. https://doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2008.0199

Maithili Karpaga Selvi, N., Sridhar, M. G., Swaminathan, R. P., & Sripradha, R. (2015). Efficacy of Turmeric as Adjuvant Therapy in Type 2 Diabetic Patients. Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry: IJCB, 30(2), 180–186. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12291-014-0436-2

Pereira, A. S. P., Banegas-Luna, A. J., Peña-García, J., Pérez-Sánchez, H., & Apostolides, Z. (2019). Evaluation of the Anti-Diabetic Activity of Some Common Herbs and Spices: Providing New Insights with Inverse Virtual Screening. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 24(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24224030

Tiwari, P., Ahmad, K., & Baig, M. H. (2017). Gymnema sylvestre for Diabetes: From Traditional Herb to Future’s Therapeutic. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 23(11), 1667–1676. https://doi.org/10.2174/1381612823666161108162048

Tsuneki, H., Ishizuka, M., Terasawa, M., Wu, J.-B., Sasaoka, T., & Kimura, I. (2004). Effect of green tea on blood glucose levels and serum proteomic patterns in diabetic (db/db) mice and on glucose metabolism in healthy humans. BMC Pharmacology, 4, 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2210-4-18