Gymnema Sylvestre is traditionally called as a destroyer of sugar; it supports the pancreas for insulin production. Thus, it is beneficial for both type 1 & 2 diabetes.
What is Gymnema Sylvestre?
Gymnema sylvestre is native to the tropical forests of central and southern India. Nearly for two millennia, Indians used it as a natural diabetes treatment; they called it as a destroyer of sugar. Additionally, Gymnema reduces the taste of sugar, thus some use it to fight sugar cravings.
Gymnema Sylvestre is a large climber, rooting at nodes and has elliptical leaves, which tapering gradually to a sharp point. Flowers are pale yellow, small, usually flat-topped, or convex flower cluster of five fleshy scales.
In English, the species is also known as gymnema, Cow-plant, and Australian cow-plant.
Diabetes Gymnema Sylvestre
Gymnema Sylvestre is a natural diabetes herb commonly referred to as “destroyer of sugar." In India, it is known as Meshashringi or Gurmar, which literally means "sugar destroyer" as it is known to mask the body's sense of taste to sugar. Gymnema believed to support the pancreas in the production of insulin in type 2 diabetes. Gymnema also trusted to improve the ability of insulin; in lowering blood-glucose level in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Additionally, it decreases cravings for sweet. This diabetes natural herb is a substitute for oral blood-sugar-lowering drugs in type 2 diabetes. Take 500 mg per day of gymnema extract for a better result.
Common names: Gokhru (Unani), Gurmar (Hindi), Meshashringi (Sanskrit), Sirukurinjan (Tamil), Vishani (Sanskrit). Dose: 500mg/ml or 30 drops (tincture).
Gymnema sylvestre tea - Gymnema sylvestre is very much better in taste difficult to consume. Boil Gymnema sylvestre leafs along with green tea and filter it. If needed, sweetened it with stevia and flavored with any herbals such as cardamom. Have a very nice cup of medicinal tea that lower blood-glucose.
Bioactive constituents of gymnema sylvestris - Bioactive constituents of Gymnema sylvestris are oleanane type triterpenoid saponins called gymnemic acids. Gymnemic acid contains several acylated tigloyl, methylbutyroyl derivatives of deacylgymnemic acid (DAGA) which is 3-O-glucuronide of gymnemagenin (3, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28-hexahydroxy-olean-12-ene) 2. The individual gymnemic acids (saponins) include gymnemic acids, I-VII, gymnemosides A-F, and gymnemasaponins. Gymnemic acids have antidiabetic, antisweetener, and anti-inflammatory activities.
Hypoglycemic action mechanisms - The hypoglycemic (blood-sugar-lowering) action of gymnema leaves is slow in nature, instead the prescribed hypoglycemic drugs have the rapid effect. Gymnema leaves raise the production of insulin by regeneration of the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Research has shown that gymnema also improves glucose uptake by cells by increasing the activity of the glucose utilizing enzymes, and stops adrenaline from stimulating the liver to produce extra glucose, thereby controlling blood-sugar levels. Gymnema leaves can in addition be used to lowering serum cholesterol and triglycerides. It also abolishes the taste of sugar and craving for sweets. The leaf extracts contain gymnemic acid, which inhibits hyperglycemia and acts as a cardiovascular stimulant.
Gymnema diabetes dosage - Generally, suggested dosage of 400 to 600 mg daily of an extract standardized to contain 24% gymnemic acid.
Gymnema Diabetes Safety - When taking appropriate dosages, gymnema is safe, although extensive studies have not been performed. One obvious risk is that if gymnema is successful, it may lower blood-sugar levels too far, causing a dangerous hypoglycemic reaction. For this reason, medical supervision is essential.
Gymnema Diabetes Studies
- Gymnema sylvestre: A Memoir. This study is conducted by Kanetkar P, Singhal R, Kamat M. at Food Engineering and Technology Department, Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), University of Mumbai, Matunga, Mumbai - 400 019 Maharashtra India. This study result show, the active compound of the plant is a group of acids termed as gymnemic acids. It has been observed that there could be a possible link between obesity, Gymnemic acids, and diabetes. This review will try to put forth an overall idea about the plant as well as present a molecular perspective linking the medicine to the most common metabolic disorders. You can visit Pubmed (National Center for Biotechnology Information) for further information.
- Gymnema sylvestre for diabetes mellitus. This study is conducted by J Altern Complement Med. 2007;13(9):977-983. This study result show that gymnema targets several of the etiological factors connected with diabetes, including chronic inflammation, obesity, enzymatic defects, and pancreatic β-cell function, and since no single oral hypoglycemic drug presently exerts such a diverse range of effects, gymnema may be useful in the management of diabetes and the prevention of associated pathological changes, says the author. You can visit American Botanical Council for further information.
Gymnema diabetes treatment procedure
Gymnema sylvestre is believed to be effective in the treatment of type 2 diabetes without any major known side effects. Gymnema sylvestre are more useful, if taken in combination instead of a single herb. Do not give up the diabetes medications; take gymnema sylvestre along with it, until the glucose level in blood reaches normal. Then slowly reduce the dosage of the conventional medicine and finally discard if possible. For type 1 diabetes the gymnema sylvestre can be taken along with insulin therapy, in due coarse insulin shots requirement may be reduced.