Changes

===== ''Gymnema Sylvester'' =====

===== ''Gymnema Sylvester'' =====

''Meshashringi'' (Gymnema Sylvester (Retz.) R.Br.; Gurmar) targets several of the etiological factors associated with diabetes, including chronic inflammation, obesity and pancreatic B-cell function 14.  In a study on rats with streptozotocin – induced diabetes, G. sylvestre treatment resulted in 30% increase in total pancreatic weight and a significant increase in the number of islets and number of B-cells per islet. The regenerated pancreatic tissue resulted in complete control of fasting blood glucose levels within 20-60 days. Normal rats in this study did not experience an increase in insulin release when treated with G. Sylvestre extract, indicating that this herb has a normalizing effect on the blood glucose and may, therefore, be safer than conventional oral hypoglycemic agents such as sulphonylureas 15. Several clinical studies have demonstrated that G. Sylvestre effective in decreasing blood glucose levels in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes 14,16,17. Two (2) clinical trials investigated the effects of combining G. Sylvestre treatment with conventional therapy compared to the conventional therapy alone. In 22 patients with type 2 diabetes, treatment with G. Sylvestre extract significantly reduced blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and glycosylated plasma proteins, whereas, with conventional treatment alone (i.e. glibenclamide or tolbutamide), these values increased or remain the same. The patients receiving the herbal extract were able to decrease the dosage of their conventional drug, and five patients were able to discontinue the drug entirely and maintain their glucose level using only G. sylvestre16.  In 27 patients with type 1 diabetes, G. Sylvestre treatment reduced fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and glycosylated plasma protein levels 17.  

''Meshashringi'' (Gymnema Sylvester (Retz.) R.Br.; Gurmar) targets several of the etiological factors associated with diabetes, including chronic inflammation, obesity and pancreatic B-cell function<ref>Leach MJ. Gymnema sylvestre for diabetes mellitus: A systematic review. J Alter Complement Med 2007; 13: 977-983</ref>.  In a study on rats with streptozotocin – induced diabetes, G. sylvestre treatment resulted in 30% increase in total pancreatic weight and a significant increase in the number of islets and number of B-cells per islet. The regenerated pancreatic tissue resulted in complete control of fasting blood glucose levels within 20-60 days. Normal rats in this study did not experience an increase in insulin release when treated with G. Sylvestre extract, indicating that this herb has a normalizing effect on the blood glucose and may, therefore, be safer than conventional oral hypoglycemic agents such as sulphonylureas<ref>Shanmugasundaram ER, Gopinath KL, Radha Shanmugasundaram K, Rajendran VM. Possible regeneration of the islets of Langerhans in streptozocin- diabetic rats given Gymnema sylvestre leaf extracts. J Ethnnopharmacol 1990; 30: 265-279</ref>. Several clinical studies have demonstrated that G. Sylvestre effective in decreasing blood glucose levels in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes<ref>Leach MJ. Gymnema sylvestre for diabetes mellitus: A systematic review. J Alter Complement Med 2007; 13: 977-983</ref><ref>Baskaran K, Kizar Ahamath B, Radha Shanmugasundaram K, Shanmugasundaram ER.Antidiabetic  effect  of a leaf extract from Gymnema sylvestre in non-insulin – dependent diabetes mellitus patients. J Ethnnopharmacol 1990; 30: 295-300</ref><ref>Shanmugasundaram ER, Rajeswari G, Baskaran K, et al. Use of Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract in the control of blood glucose in in insulin- dependent diabetes mellitus. J Ethnnopharmacol 1990; 30: 281-294</ref>. Two (2) clinical trials investigated the effects of combining G. Sylvestre treatment with conventional therapy compared to the conventional therapy alone. In 22 patients with type 2 diabetes, treatment with G. Sylvestre extract significantly reduced blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and glycosylated plasma proteins, whereas, with conventional treatment alone (i.e. glibenclamide or tolbutamide), these values increased or remain the same. The patients receiving the herbal extract were able to decrease the dosage of their conventional drug, and five patients were able to discontinue the drug entirely and maintain their glucose level using only G. sylvestre<ref>Baskaran K, Kizar Ahamath B, Radha Shanmugasundaram K, Shanmugasundaram ER.Antidiabetic  effect of a leaf extract from Gymnema sylvestre in non-insulin – dependent diabetes mellitus patients. J Ethnnopharmacol 1990; 30: 295-300.</ref>. In 27 patients with type 1 diabetes, G. Sylvestre treatment reduced fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and glycosylated plasma protein levels<ref>Shanmugasundaram ER, Rajeswari G, Baskaran K, et al. Use of Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract in the control of blood glucose in in insulin- dependent diabetes mellitus. J Ethnnopharmacol 1990; 30: 281-294</ref>.

===== ''Tinospora cordifolia'' =====

===== ''Tinospora cordifolia'' =====