Potential Antidiabetic Herbal Drugs:A Comparative Review of Marketed Products

Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is one of the world's oldest known diseases. In 1997, diabetes prevalence was introduced as a "basic health indicator" for member states by the WHO, which estimated in 1995 that the number of people with diabetes in the world would reach 300 million by 2025. Although the symptoms of diabetes mellitus were documented in the Papyrus Ebers nearly 3500 years ago, a truly effective means of treating the disease has not been found. Insulin controls blood sugar levels and prevents keto-acidosis but it does not control all the defects of diabetes. The currently available oral hypoglycemic agents in allopathic system of medicine are no more effective than insulin in combating the wide variety of complications of diabetes. At present we are able to treat only symptoms but not the disease. The remedial measure may lie in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. The various herbal drugs such as Gymnema sylvestris, Pterocarpus marsuprium, Syzygium cumini etc. known for their potential hypoglycemic (antidiabetic) activity shall be discussed. The various branded herbal formulations like Madhu meh-hari, Diabecon, Merciana, Madhuhari etc. available in the market as antidiabetic remedies are also discussed along with their clinical merits. It may be concluded that since ayurvedic formulations contain number of ingredients in which one ingredient may act to enhance the action of other ingredient. Also as a result of diabetes other related diseases like wound healing capacity, eye diseases, renal infections etc may be taken care of with ayurvedic formulations that contain various ingredients in it.