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Antidiabetic Plants. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. 2006. 314 p.

This textbook on antidiabetic plants is from a series called Traditional Herbal Medicines for Modern Times. The series is designed to provide academia, health sciences, and the herbal medicines industry with in-depth coverage of the herbal remedies for infectious diseases and certain medical conditions, and the plant medicines of a particular country. This volume is the first detailed compilation of information from across the world on plants used traditionally to treat diabetes and the scientific methods by which they can be and have been investigated. The book offers 16 chapters that cover an introduction to diabetes mellitus; plants used in the treatment of diabetes; preclinical and clinical methods for evaluating the antidiabetic activity of plants; in vitro models for assessing antidiabetic activity; Ayurvedic, Siddha, and tribal medicine; traditional Chinese and Kampo medicines; treating non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus from a Western herbalist’s perspective; Native American medicine; antidiabetic plants in Mexico and Central America; antidiabetic plants in the Caribbean; management of diabetes in African traditional medicine; antidiabetic plants of North Africa and the Middle East; Australian and New Zealand plants with antidiabetic properties; plant polysaccharides in the prevention and treatment of diabetes; saponins; and flavinoids, xanthones, and other antioxidant polyphenols. Each chapter concludes with a lengthy list of references, and a detailed subject index concludes the volume.

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Association Between Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use, Preventive Care Practices, and Use of Conventional Medical Services Among Adults with Diabetes. Diabetes Care. 29(1): 15-19. January 2006.

There is an idea among practitioners of conventional medicine that patients who use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are less likely to use conventional medical services. This article reports on a study undertaken to asses the association between CAM use, preventive care practices, and use of conventional medical services among adults with diabetes. The authors report on data from 2,474 adults with diabetes, using an overall CAM-use category based on use of any of the following: diets, herbs, chiropractic care, yoga, relaxation, acupuncture, ayuverda, biofeedback, chelation, energy healing, Reiki therapy, hypnosis, massage, naturopathy, and homeopathy. Results showed that a total of 48 percent of adults with diabetes used some form of CAM. CAM use was independently associated with receipt of pneumonia vaccination but not significantly associated with receipt of influenza vaccination. CAM use was independently associated with visiting the emergency room, having six or more primary care visits, and having eight or more primary care visits. The authors conclude that CAM use may not be a barrier to use of conventional medical services in adults with diabetes. 3 tables. 23 references.

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Australian and New Zealand Plants with Antidiabetic Properties. IN: Soumyanath, A., ed. Traditional Medicines for Modern Times: Antidiabetic Plants. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. 2006. pp. 243-256.

This chapter is from a textbook on antidiabetic plants, part of a series called Traditional Herbal Medicines for Modern Times. This volume is the first detailed compilation of information from across the world on plants used traditionally to treat diabetes and the scientific methods by which they can be and have been investigated. In this chapter, the author describes Australian and New Zealand plants with antidiabetic properties. The author first reviews the geographic development of Australia and New Zealand, the indigenous people of these countries, and issues of Aboriginal health, including attitude to illness and epidemiology of diabetes. The chapter discusses two types of plants: plants included in traditional Aboriginal pharmacopoeias now known to exhibit hypoglycemic activity and Australian plant genera related to species with proven hypoglycemic activity but used in other parts of the world. The author concludes that remarkably little is known about Australian plants with antidiabetic properties and even less is known about the traditional use of these by the Aboriginal people. 1 figure. 1 table. 87 references.

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Complementary Medicine: Its Hidden Risks. Diabetes Care. 24(8): 1486-1488. August 2001.

This review article explores the hidden risks of complementary medicine (CM). CM options are being discussed as treatments for diabetes, but some forms of CM are clearly not totally devoid of risk. For example, acupuncture has caused deaths and other serious complications through infection and trauma, chiropractic treatment has done so through vertebral arterial dissection, and herbal medicines have caused serious complications through hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Although such events are rare, they represent an unknown that needs accounting for when addressing the issue of whether a given CM treatment does more good than harm. Some complementary therapies may be judged as entirely free of direct risks, but these treatments cause harm through indirect risks. The most obvious indirect risk is that complementary therapies may be used as true alternatives to conventional treatments for serious medical conditions. Other indirect risks of CM relate to the diagnostic methods used by some practitioners. Even less tangible risks associated with CM use include the lack of evidence supporting some CM techniques. Other intangible risks lie with the mindset of the typical CM user and the antiscience attitude that sometimes emerges from enthusiasts of CM. 1 figure. 24 references.

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Energy Therapies and Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Spectrum. 14(3): 149-153. August, 2001.

People with diabetes require multiple interventions to reach their glycemic goals. Energy therapies have been a useful aid improving health and well being. Clinical interventions involve energy exchange in some form. This article focuses on energy therapies that involve the presence of a therapist, whether local or long distance, to support and aid in the healing process. Energy or healing therapies include Therapeutic Touch (TT), Reiki, massage, Microwave Resonance Therapy (MRT), colored light therapy, and acupuncture. The literature on diabetes and healing therapies is sparse, but there is potential for energy therapy to assist individuals with diabetes in reaching goals for normoglycemia (normal levels of blood glucose) and high quality of life. The authors conclude that these therapies have few known side effects and many potential benefits. However, as with all unproved therapies, they should be approached with caution and careful monitoring. 1 table. 47 references.

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Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Tribal Medicine. IN: Menon, V.P.; Stanley Mainzen Prince, P. Traditional Medicines for Modern Times: Antidiabetic Plants. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. 2006. pp. 117-134.

This chapter is from a textbook on antidiabetic plants, part of a series called Traditional Herbal Medicines for Modern Times. This volume is the first detailed compilation of information from across the world on plants used traditionally to treat diabetes and the scientific methods by which they can be and have been investigated. In this chapter, the authors discuss Ayurvedic, Siddha, and tribal medicine of India. The authors describe the Indian medical tradition as having two levels: the classical system, which includes Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani traditions and is characterized by institutionally trained doctors and well-developed theories to support its practices; and the folk system, called Lok Parampara, which is an oral tradition passed on from parent to child that includes knowledge and beliefs regarding foods, knowledge of diagnostic procedures and prevention measures, and the use of yoga and physical practices for disease prevention. The authors focus on six plants from these traditions: Syzigium cumini, Tinospora cordifolia, Trigonella foenum graecum, Momordica charantia, Gymnema sylvestre, and Pterocarpus marsupium. For each plant, they discuss the phytochemical factors, concluding that because diabetes is a multifunctional defect, care must be taken before administering any drugs, including plant-based agents. 142 references.

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Biological Complementary Therapies in Diabetes. IN: Mensing, C., ed. Art and Science of Diabetes Self-Management Education. Chicago, IL: American Association of Diabetes Educators. pp. 432-460.

Along with traditional medications, some people with diabetes have turned to use of nontraditional therapies, including complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM therapies can include acupuncture, relaxation techniques, massage, chiropractic, and spiritual healing, as well as consumption of herbal medicine and megavitamins. This chapter on the use of biological complementary therapies in diabetes is from a comprehensive text that serves as a resource for all health professionals, community professionals, and individuals who provide education to individuals with diabetes. The authors note that many people with diabetes use dietary supplements to lower blood glucose or treat diabetes-related complications. However, there are concerns with the use of biological complementary therapies, including various, unregulated chemical ingredients and varying theorized mechanisms of action. As with other pharmacologically active agents, CAM therapies may produce side effects and drug interactions. Specific products discussed include: cinnamon, gymnema, fenugreek, bitter melon, ginseng, nopal, aloe vera, banaba, caiapo, bilberry, milk thistle, chromium, vanadium, garlic, St. John’s wort, and nicotinamide. Those involved in diabetes care and education should develop a clear understanding of biological complementary therapies to be able to provide unbiased, nonjudgemental information to patients about these therapies. The chapter includes a list of key points, a summary of teaching strategies, case studies, suggested Internet resources, a glossary of key terms, and a list of references. 3 tables. 157 references.

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Can Medication Help?. IN: Prediabetes Wake-Up Call: A Personal Road Map to Prevent Diabetes. Berkeley, CA: Ulysses Press. 2006. pp. 126-138.

This chapter on drug therapy is from a book about prediabetes, also called the metabolic syndrome. Written in non-technical language to help readers prevent or delay their progression to diabetes, the book uses a road map and automobile analogy to explain the strategies they can take to better health. In this chapter, the author describes the use of medications to help lower the risk of developing diabetes. There are glucose-lowering medications for people with diabetes which can work by helping the pancreas release more insulin, making the cells more sensitive to insulin, reducing the amount of glucose made by the liver, blocking digestion of carbohydrates or fat, or substituting for human insulin to help the cells use glucose. The author also outlines non-diabetes medications that may be useful, including anti-hypertensive agents or cholesterol-lowering drugs. Vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements may also be used; the author outlines some of the studies on these alternative therapies, commenting on benefits, efficacy, and side effects reported. Readers are encouraged to work closely in tandem with their health care providers and to become an active, educated member of their own health care team. The author uses conversational language, with true stories and personal examples, and questions for consideration at the end of the chapter. 2 tables.

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Flavonoids, Xanthones, and Other Antioxidant Polyphenols. IN: Soumyanath, A., ed. Traditional Medicines for Modern Times: Antidiabetic Plants. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. 2006. pp. 293-304.

This chapter is from a textbook on antidiabetic plants, part of a series called Traditional Herbal Medicines for Modern Times. This volume is the first detailed compilation of information from across the world on plants used traditionally to treat diabetes and the scientific methods by which they can be and have been investigated. In this chapter, the authors describe flavinoids, xanthones, and other antioxidant polyphenols, naturally occurring compounds that can improve oxidative status, protect and enhance endogenous defenses, and directly mediate various mechanisms of pathology. After providing an overview of the role of oxidative stress in diabetes and its complications, the authors review current data linking antioxidant polyphenols and diabetes. The authors discuss the implications for understanding traditional uses of plants and their potential application in addressing contemporary diabetes problems. They conclude by calling for pharmacological screening that characterizes current research on plant antioxidants, which should be extended to a greater number of medicines and traditional foods. 6 figures. 92 references.

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In Vitro Models for Assessing Antidiabetic Activity. IN: Soumyanath, A., ed. Traditional Medicines for Modern Times: Antidiabetic Plants. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. 2006. pp. 99-116.

This chapter is from a textbook on antidiabetic plants, part of a series called Traditional Herbal Medicines for Modern Times. This volume is the first detailed compilation of information from across the world on plants used traditionally to treat diabetes and the scientific methods by which they can be and have been investigated. In this chapter, the authors review in vitro models for assessing antidiabetic activity. After a discussion of the rationale between the in vitro models used in diabetes research, they cover those models used to study inhibition of carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, to study inhibition of intestinal glucose uptake, to study insulin secretion from beta cells of the pancreas, those models based on the liver as an insulin target tissue, on adipocytes as an insulin target tissue, and on muscle as an insulin target tissue. Other sections cover interactions with the insulin receptor, glucagon receptor antagonists, potential interferents in plant extracts, solubilizing plant extracts for in vitro studies, and the use of an alternative glucose substrate for in vitro uptake studies. The authors conclude that in vitro tests offer a number of significant advantages for research on antidiabetic plants. A wide range of tests is available, based on various mechanisms that would alleviate hyperglycemia in diabetes. Multiple mechanisms and active components are possible in antidiabetic plants. 120 references.

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