The long-term complications of uncontrolled diabetes are well known -
damage to eyes, kidneys, nerves, blood vessels, and other organs. Most
of this damage is attributed to chronic elevated blood glucose levels.
Type II diabetics and pre-diabetics are aware of these dangers and
sometimes consider adding herbal therapy, to their doctor prescribed
medication, to "tweak" blood sugar lowering effects and possibly
prevent complications. Sometimes patients may try herbs and other
supplements because they want to use a more "natural" treatment to
control their blood sugars.

The strength and dose of herbal products vary and your pharmacist can
assist you in selecting products, discussing dosage ranges, and
preventing any herb-drug interactions. Herbal products can also vary
greatly from batch-to-batch and it is always preferred to purchase a
quality name brand product that has been assayed and standardized in
regard to active ingredient. The bottom line is that there must be
some assurance that you are purchasing a product that will
consistently deliver a specified dose of active herb.

Type I diabetics who require insulin generally should not add herbs
with blood sugar lowering effects to their treatment because of the
serious potential for life -threatening hypoglycemia (extremely low
blood sugar) or other medical complications.

Regardless of the reasons for using these specific herbs, one must
always keep their doctor and pharmacist "in the loop" to prevent any
hypoglycemic reactions and dangerous or toxic interactions.
Hypoglycemic reactions are dangerous and can be deadly.

There are several noteworthy herbs that are claimed to have blood
sugar lowering effects. These herbs are not generally used in Western
herbal medicine and are more common in Ayurvedic Medicine and Oriental
Medicine. The exact mechanism of action in lowering blood sugar is
often not known. In addition, these herbs may not work well for
everyone and their overall effect may vary in individuals. Side
effects can also be patient specific and a combination of these herbs
may be required to obtain the desired effect. Commercial herbal
combinations are available and often contain antioxidants, zinc,
chromium, vanadyl sulfate, and other minerals or vitamins that may be
beneficial to diabetics.

Glucometer blood sugar monitoring, especially fasting samples and the
two-hour after meal (postprandial) sampling, are usually necessary
until blood sugar levels are under control. However, always follow
your physician's advice regarding the frequency of glucometer testing.
Hemoglobin A1c values should also be monitored by your physician to
follow blood glucose levels over the long haul.

Agaricus Mushroom (Agaricus blazei):

This mushroom has shown evidence of lowering blood glucose.

Aloe Vera (Aloe):

Aloe Vera is a member of the Lily family even though it resembles a
cactus. There are over 240 species of Aloe, but only four species are
recognized as having nutritional value with Aloe barbadensis leading
the group.

Preliminary research suggests aloe gel might lower blood glucose
levels. Dose is usually (15-30 ml (50 mg) per day.

American Ginseng:

A very popular herb in Chinese medicine. Recent studies have shown
that Ginseng may be helpful in reducing blood sugar levels in Type II
diabetic patients. For diabetes, ginsengosides and possibly other
constituents are thought to reduce postprandial glucose levels. This
effect might be due to either tissue insulin sensitization or direct
stimulation of insulin release or both of these mechanisms. The effect
of various ginsengs on glucose appears to be related in part to the
mix of ginsenosides. Other non-ginsenoside constituents likely affect
blood glucose as well.

For reducing postprandial glucose levels in patients with type 2
diabetes, 3-9 grams up to 2-hours before a meal has been used.
However, there is no added benefit to taking more than 3 grams. Other
studies suggest taking ginseng 40 minutes prior to meal to obtain the
optimal effect. Irregardless, American ginseng should be taken within
two hours of a meal to avoid potential hypoglycemia.

Bilberry (Huckleberry):

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) has been used in traditional European
medicine for nearly a thousand years, primarily to treat diarrhea.
Bilberry contains a powerful antioxidant that helps to promote
circulation in the eyes. Studies on diabetic dogs have also indicated
benefits in reducing blood sugar levels. Use Bilberry standardized at
25% anothocyanins for maximum potency.

Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia):

A member of the Cucurbitaceae family, the plant grows in tropical
areas, including parts of the Amazon Basin, Africa, Asia, the
Caribbean and South America. The bitter melon grows as a vine bearing
green leaves and yellow flowers with oblong green fruit that resemble
a cucumber.

Bitter melon has a long history of use as a hypoglycemic agent in
Asia, Africa, and Latin America, where the plant extract has been
referred to as vegetable insulin. Although several constituents of
bitter melon have hypoglycemic properties, most interest has focused
on a polypeptide isolated from the seeds called polypeptide-p and a
mixture of two steroid glycosides referred to as charantin. At least
three different compounds in Bitter Melon have been reported to have
sugar-regulating properties. Gurmarin, in particular, is a polypeptide
considered to be similar to bovine insulin.

Blond Psyllium (Blond Plantago):

Blond psyllium seed husk orally seems to significantly reduce
postprandial serum glucose, insulin levels, serum total cholesterol,
and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in patients with
Type II diabetes and hypercholesterolemia

Blond psyllium seems to reduce postprandial blood glucose levels by
about 14% to 20%, total cholesterol by about 9%, and LDL cholesterol
by 13%. Blonde psyllium also seems to lower postprandial glucose
levels in patients with Type I diabetes. Blond psyllium's maximum
effect on the glucose levels occurs when psyllium is mixed and
consumed with foods. Blond psyllium does not lower postprandial
glucose in people who do not have diabetes.

Cinnamon Bark (Cassia Cinnamon):

Cinnamon is getting a lot of attention as a treatment for diabetes.
There is preliminary evidence that it can lower blood glucose and
cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes. So far, this
benefit has only been found with Cassia Cinnamon (Chinese Cinnamon) in
humans. As little as ¼ to ½ teaspoonfuls can have a powerful effect in
lowering blood sugar.

Recent studies (2008) indicate that cinnamom may not significantly
lower blood glucose.

Devil's Claw:

Devil's Claw is native to south and central Africa. Its medicinal
value lies in its fleshy roots, which are sliced, chopped, or
pulverized while fresh.

Some evidence shows that this herb might decrease blood glucose and
have additive effects with medication used in diabetes.

Eleuthro (Siberian Ginseng):

Eleuthro is a shrub that grows 3 to 10 feet high with products made
from the root. The root contains a mixture of components, common to
many plants but occurring together in Siberian ginseng, called
eleutherosides. Among the other ingredients are chemicals called
polysaccharides, which have been found to boost the immune system and
lower blood sugar levels in laboratory studies using animals.

Like the panax ginsengs, Siberian ginseng is considered to be an
adaptogen, which means that it helps in stressful circumstances and
also helps return the body to a normal balance.

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum):

Dose: 10-15 grams per day in divided doses with meals Fenugreek is
effective for lowering postprandial (after meals) blood sugar. The
applicable part of fenugreek is the seed. The active constituents
include trigonelline, 4-hydroxyisoleucine, and sotolon. About 80% of
the total content of free amino acids in the seeds is present as 4-
hydroxyisoleucine, which appears to directly stimulate insulin. This
effect is glucose dependent and only occurs in the presence of
moderate to high glucose concentrations.

Fenugreek seeds have a distinctive bitter taste and odor. Sotolon is
frequently used as a flavoring for artificial maple syrup.
Theoretically, patients who are allergic to other Fabaceae plants
including soybeans, peanuts, and green peas might also be allergic to
fenugreek.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale):

Preliminary research suggests ginger might increase insulin levels.
Theoretically, it could have an additive effect with medication used
to treat diabetes and cause hypoglycemia.

Glucomannan (Konnyaku root):

A member of the yam family, this herb is high in fiber and can help
normalize blood sugar, relieve stress on the pancreas.

Gulvel (Tinospora cordifolia):

Grows wild along roadsides throughout the tropical and sub-tropical
plains of India and Sri Lanka. Plant extracts causes reduction in
fasting blood sugar in rabbits and rats.

Gymnema sylvestre (Gumar):

A tropical plant of the milkweed family with an ancient Sanskrit name
meaning "destroyer of sugar." Preliminary clinical research indicates
that certain Gymnema extracts can reduce blood glucose and glycosated
hemoglobin (Hb A1c) in Type I and Type II diabetics.

Holy Basil (Hot Basil):

Preliminary evidence suggests that holy leaf extract may decrease
fasting (17.6%) and postprandial blood glucose in patients with Type
II diabetes.

Jambolan (Syzygium cumini):

A close relative of the clove tree Syzygium aromaticum, Jambolan is
native to east India and the Malay Peninsula, but has spread as far as
China and Australia and is grown in the Caribbean.

Only the bark of the Jambolan has proven medicinal value, although the
seeds are often used as well. In Asian medicine, it is used for
diabetes, diarrhea, sore throat, and diseases of the spleen.

Kudzu:

Kudzu is native to Japan and China, however it grows extremely well in
the Southern United states. This vine, when left uncontrolled, will
eventually grow over almost any fixed object or other vegetation.

Kudzu or its constituents might have hypoglycemic,
hypocholesterolemic, and antioxidant activity.

Neem (Azadirachta indica):

Neem is a member of the Mahogany family (Meliaceae) which includes a
large array of tropical trees and shrubs native to both the Old and
New World. Evidence indicates that Neem might possess some
hypoglycemic activity.

Panax Ginseng (Asian Ginseng):

There is some evidence that taking Panax ginseng orally, 200 mg daily
can decrease fasting blood glucose levels and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)
in patients with Type II diabetes.

Prickly Pear Cactus (Nopal):

There is some preliminary clinical evidence that prickly pear cactus
used orally can decrease blood glucose levels in patients with Type II
diabetes. Single doses can decrease blood glucose levels by 17% to 46%
in some patients. However, it is not known if extended daily use can
consistently lower blood glucose levels and decrease HbA1c levels.
Only the broiled stems of the specific species Opuntia streptacantha
seem to be beneficial and raw or crude stems do not seem to decrease
glucose levels. Other prickly pear cactus species do not seem to
significantly lower blood glucose levels.

Red Sandalwood (Pterocarpus marsupium):

Like Gymnema Sylvestre, this is a traditional herb used in India to
help rejuvenate the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. One group
of researchers investigating diabetic rats compared Pterocarpus'
observed effects on blood glucose levels to those of metformin, a drug
familiar to many diabetics.

Stevia (Sweet Herb):

Stevia is a non-caloric herb, native to Paraguay, which has been used
as a sweetener and flavor enhancer for centuries. Clinical research
suggests that stevioside, a constituent of Stevia, might reduce
postprandial glucose levels by 18% in people with Type II diabetes.

Tumeric:

Turmeric has been used for thousands of years in Asian Indian cookery
and is an ingredient in curry powder. Ground from dried curcumin, a
rhizome of the ginger family, turmeric is not peppery and rather mild
tasting.

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