Type 2 Diabetes - Five Plants Show Promise for Diabetes Treatment
Type 2 diabetes is on the rise in South Africa, just as it is in much of the world.
Investigators at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University have looked at five plants used in traditional healthcare, for their possible potential in treating high blood sugar in Type 2 diabetes.
Their results were published in November 2011 in the African Journal of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
The cause of Type 2 diabetes is the cells poor ability to take in and use sugar floating around in the bloodstream.
Blood sugar levels rise when cells are unable to take it in and use it to form energy.
The study involved measuring whether extracts of certain plants could increase the cells' ability to take in sugar and convert it to energy.
The investigators used human liver and muscle cells in glass containers, adding extracts of these five plants:
Muscle cells were able to take in more sugar when ruta grav and society garlic were added.
From this it was concluded these particular plants have the potential for use in treating Type 2 diabetes and should be studied further.
Yellow bulbine is a succulent plant that originated in South Africa.
Other names for it include snake flower, cat's tail, and burn jelly plant.
It is used in home remedies for burns, rashes, blisters, insect bites, cracked skin and lips, acne, cold sores, coughs, colds, and arthritis.
Pregnant onion also originated in South Africa, and is also cultivated in Europe and Asia as an ornamental plant.
It is used in Africa as a traditional remedy for arthritis, muscle pain, headache, toothache and minor injuries.
Ruta grav, also known as garden rue, bitter herb, and herb of grace, is commonly seen around the Mediterranean and Australia.
It is used in traditional healing for bruises, pain, headaches, eyestrain, coughs, and toothaches.
Camphor bush, or bushman's tobacco, commonly grows in Africa.
It is traditionally used for blocked sinuses, headaches, coughs, bronchitis, toothache, abdominal pain, and stiffness.
Society garlic, also called silver lace or pink agapanthus, is indigenous to South Africa.
It's traditional medicinal uses include treating HIV and AIDs, stomach and intestinal ailments, asthma, tuberculosis and diseases that cause fevers.
Plants are complex sets of molecules, and can contain both helpful and poisonous substances.
Traditional and herbal remedies should be used with caution of at all.
More research will be needed before any of the five above plants might be proven safe and effective for treating people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
On the other hand, isn't it nice to know that as research progresses, so many possibilities are coming to light?
Investigators at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University have looked at five plants used in traditional healthcare, for their possible potential in treating high blood sugar in Type 2 diabetes.
Their results were published in November 2011 in the African Journal of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
The cause of Type 2 diabetes is the cells poor ability to take in and use sugar floating around in the bloodstream.
Blood sugar levels rise when cells are unable to take it in and use it to form energy.
The study involved measuring whether extracts of certain plants could increase the cells' ability to take in sugar and convert it to energy.
The investigators used human liver and muscle cells in glass containers, adding extracts of these five plants:
- yellow bulbine,
- pregnant onion plant,
- ruta grav,
- camphor bush, and
- society garlic.
Muscle cells were able to take in more sugar when ruta grav and society garlic were added.
From this it was concluded these particular plants have the potential for use in treating Type 2 diabetes and should be studied further.
Yellow bulbine is a succulent plant that originated in South Africa.
Other names for it include snake flower, cat's tail, and burn jelly plant.
It is used in home remedies for burns, rashes, blisters, insect bites, cracked skin and lips, acne, cold sores, coughs, colds, and arthritis.
Pregnant onion also originated in South Africa, and is also cultivated in Europe and Asia as an ornamental plant.
It is used in Africa as a traditional remedy for arthritis, muscle pain, headache, toothache and minor injuries.
Ruta grav, also known as garden rue, bitter herb, and herb of grace, is commonly seen around the Mediterranean and Australia.
It is used in traditional healing for bruises, pain, headaches, eyestrain, coughs, and toothaches.
Camphor bush, or bushman's tobacco, commonly grows in Africa.
It is traditionally used for blocked sinuses, headaches, coughs, bronchitis, toothache, abdominal pain, and stiffness.
Society garlic, also called silver lace or pink agapanthus, is indigenous to South Africa.
It's traditional medicinal uses include treating HIV and AIDs, stomach and intestinal ailments, asthma, tuberculosis and diseases that cause fevers.
Plants are complex sets of molecules, and can contain both helpful and poisonous substances.
Traditional and herbal remedies should be used with caution of at all.
More research will be needed before any of the five above plants might be proven safe and effective for treating people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
On the other hand, isn't it nice to know that as research progresses, so many possibilities are coming to light?
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