9 herbs to help control blood sugar

1. General mechanism of hypoglycemic action of herbal medicines

There are two types of diabetes, of which type 2 or non-insulin dependent diabetes is the most common form of the disease, accounting for 90% - 95%. Treatment drugs include: Insulin and various oral drugs such as sulfonylureas, biguanides...

Recently, a number of medicinal plants have been proven to be beneficial and safe in the treatment of diabetes worldwide. More than 400 species of plants with hypoglycemic effects have been recorded to contain pharmacological components such as: Glycosides, alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, carotenoids...

Plant-derived drugs have the potential to treat diabetes due to their properties of stimulating production, increasing secretion, reducing insulin resistance and inhibiting intestinal glucose absorption, thereby reducing blood sugar levels.

2. Medicines to help control blood sugar

2.1. Garlic (Allium sativum)

Garlic is a very familiar plant to Vietnamese people, used as medicine and spice in daily life. Ethyl ether extract at a dose of 0.25 mg/kg is reported to have a strong hypoglycemic effect due to increasing the activity of using sugar in the blood similar to the activity of insulin.

Oral administration of ethanol extract, juice and oil of garlic significantly lowered blood glucose in normal diabetic rats via alloxan or stimulation of insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells.

In addition, allicin, S-allyl cysteine ​​sulfoxide (SACS), a precursor of allicin, and garlic oil have also been shown to have significant hypoglycemic effects by increasing liver metabolism and increasing insulin release from pancreatic beta cells.

Daily oral administration of garlic extract at a dose of 100 mg/kg increased insulin levels while decreasing blood glucose levels. The effect of garlic on mice fed a high-fat diet for 2 weeks suggested that garlic has an insulin-regulating rather than hypoglycemic role.

2.2. Aloe vera (Liliaceae)

Aloe vera, also known as aloe, belongs to the succulent family. Its cooling properties have the effect of reducing swelling and pain, reducing inflammation, clearing heat, disinfecting, and detoxifying; and is used to treat acne, burns, scalds, and scabies.

In addition, aloe vera also has a hypoglycemic effect by stimulating the synthesis or release of insulin from beta cells of the islets of Langerhans.

2.3. Soursop (Annona muricata)

Soursop is a fruit that is abundant in Southeast Asia and Southern Vietnam and is a significant source of fiber, vitamins C, B1, B2 and healthy minerals. In addition, soursop also contains small amounts of niacin, riboflavin, folate and iron which are essential for the body.

Soursop has antioxidant, anti-cancer, digestive, and immune-enhancing effects... Recently, it has been shown that soursop plays an important role in reducing the oxidation of pancreatic β cells in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, through increasing the area of ​​β cells and preventing β cell degeneration.

The compound annonacin contained in soursop seeds is a neurotoxin, so when using, the seeds must be completely removed to avoid neurodegenerative diseases and acute neurotoxicity.

2.4. Tamarind tree (Biophytum Sensivum)

Tamarind has a sour taste, cool properties, has the effect of clearing heat, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic. People often boil branches and leaves with water spinach for a sour and cool taste or cook sour soup with fish. In addition, tamarind is often used as medicine to treat digestive diseases, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, acne...

The leaf extract of Sophora japonica stimulated pancreatic beta cells to release insulin in diabetic male rabbits and lowered blood sugar levels. The administration of Sophora japonica extract to non-diabetic rabbits that were fasted for 16 hours also resulted in a significant increase in serum insulin levels.

2.5. Green tea (Camellia sinensis)

Tea is a popular plant in the northern provinces of Vietnam, used to make tea and daily food. The main part of tea is the leaves, processed into many different types such as white tea, green tea, oolong tea and black tea. Fresh branches and leaves can be used to make tea (fresh tea) or picked buds and young leaves are roasted (dried tea), when used, steeped in boiling water to drink.

There are a total of more than 4000 compounds studied from tea such as: Polyphenol, in addition there are alkaloids (caffeine, theophylline and theobromine), vitamin C, amino acids, essential oils, minerals... In which, the percentage of polyphenol is the highest.

Tea leaves are proven to have many uses such as: Antioxidant, cancer prevention, diarrhea treatment, burn treatment, ulcer treatment, anti-inflammatory, nerve stimulant (due to caffeine), diuretic (due to theobromine, caffeine), anti-diarrhea (due to tannin) and edema treatment.

Additionally, epigallocatechin gallate found in tea has been shown to increase insulin activity and prevent tissue oxidation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

2.6. Chili pepper (Capsicum frutescens)

Chili is a popular daily food, spicy, hot; has the effect of warming the middle, dispelling cold, strengthening the spleen, and digesting food; used to treat diarrhea, cold cough, stagnation, malaria, clear meridians, relieve pain, and disinfect.

Chili leaves have a bitter taste and cooling properties, and have the effect of clearing heat, detoxifying, and diuresis. Chili roots have the same taste and effects as the fruit, and also have the effect of activating blood circulation and dispelling swelling; often used to treat painful testicles and functional uterine bleeding.

Research has shown that chili peppers increase plasma insulin levels in type 2 diabetic mice fed a high-fat (HF) diet for 4 weeks. Consumption of 2% chili peppers in the diet has an antidiabetic effect through an insulin-increasing mechanism rather than a hypoglycemic mechanism.

2.7. Cornus officinalis

Cornus officinalis is a traditional medicine with a sour and astringent taste, warm properties, and affects the liver and kidney meridians. Uses: Nourishes the liver and kidney, strengthens sperm, and astringes urine. Indications: Back pain, weak knees, spermatorrhea, dizziness, tinnitus, cold and heat, heavy menstruation, and night sweats.

Cornus officinalis has pharmacological effects:Anticoagulant: Extract from cornus officinalis has the effect of inhibiting platelet aggregation.Antibacterial: Cornus officinalis decoction has the effect of inhibiting dysentery, typhoid and staphylococcus aureus.Experimentally, it was found that the drug has antihypertensive and diuretic effects.

In addition, the alcoholic extract of cornel can increase GLUT4 mRNA and promote the proliferation of pancreatic islet cells by increasing postprandial insulin secretion, thereby promoting glucose transport into the liver and causing hypoglycemia. The methanol extract and its fractions also have insulin-like activity through phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase.

2.8. Gymnema sylvestre

Alcoholic extract of Gymnema sylvestre stimulates insulin secretion from rat islets of Langerhans with hypoglycemic effect.

Oral administration of water-soluble Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract at a dose of 400 mg/day reduces fasting blood sugar and insulin requirements in patients with type 1 diabetes; increases regeneration or repair of pancreatic beta cells in patients with type 2 diabetes through gymnemic acid molecules dihydroxy gymnemic triacetate.

Gymnema sylvestre has the effect of lowering LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, preventing atherosclerosis, and reducing blood pressure in patients with hypertension. Gymnema sylvestre leaves are also used as a digestive aid, ground into powder to fight toxins and inflammation.

2.9. Bitter melon (Momordica charantia)

Bitter melon is a popular fruit grown in Vietnam, used as medicine, food and tea. Bitter melon contains ingredients such as saponin, polysaccharide, protein and peptide, which have the effect of lowering blood sugar, lowering blood lipids, lowering blood uric acid, anti-oxidation and anti-cancer.

The phytochemicals momordicin, charantin, several compounds such as galactose-binding lectins and proteins isolated from different parts of this plant have been shown to have insulin-like activity.

Aqueous extract from unripe fruit of bitter melon stimulates insulin release from pancreatic beta cells of hyperglycemic obese rats.

NoteDiabetic patients need to take medication as prescribed by their doctor. Do not stop taking medication, stop taking medication or combine medications without consulting your doctor.

Traditional medicine from plantsIt only has the effect of supporting diabetes treatment, not replacing standard treatment methods. You should consult your doctor if you need to use herbal support./.