Gymnema Sylvestre for Diabetes
We have had numerous requests for safe and clinically proven nutritional treatments for diabetes. Understandably, the scientific evidence that vanadium is toxic at levels that improved signs of diabetes in animals, as well as the fact that it has never been tested in humans, left many people feeling dismayed that vanadium has and is being purported as a effective nutritional therapy for diabetes. After searching the scientific literature for nutritional treatments that are backed by human studies showing both safety and effectiveness, we were astounded by a number of extremely promising studies in diabetic animals, as well as insulin dependent and non-insulin dependent human diabetics, that utilized the herb Gymnema sylvestre (GS).
What is Gymnema Sylvestre? Gymnema sylvestre (family Asclepiadaceae) is a woody climber that grows in tropical forests of the central and southern parts of India. In India, it has been used as a treatment for diabetes mellitus since ancient times. The first scientific confirmation of this traditional use in human diabetics came almost 70 years ago when it was demonstrated that the leaves of GS reduced urine glucose in diabetics.(1) Four years later it was shown that GS had a blood glucose lowering effect when there was residual pancreatic function, but was without effect in animals lacking pancreatic function, suggesting a direct effect on the pancreas.(2)
Despite the promise of these initial results, scientific inquiry into the effect of GS on diabetics was not seriously resumed until 1981 when it was again demonstrated that oral administration of the dried leaves of GS brings down blood glucose and raises serum insulin levels, recorded during an oral glucose tolerance test in diabetic animals and healthy human volunteers.(3) This 1981 investigation also showed lower blood glucose and increased serum insulin levels in a single case of maturity onset diabetes. Because a number of already approved pharmaceuticals have similar effects in Type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetics by increasing the insulin output of the remaining beta cells in the pancreas, interest in GS remained almost nonexistent. Unfortunately, these drugs do nothing to prevent the continued deterioration of pancreatic function or the abnormalities in blood chemistry, and usually require increasing dosages to control blood glucose levels. Again in 1988, research was published that documented the positive effect of GS on glucose homeostasis in diabetic animals.(4) However, this study went further by showing a normalization of glycosylated hemoglobin and glycosylated plasma proteins, two indicators of long term glucose control. Additionally, this study utilized a Gymnema sylvestre extract (GSE), rather than the whole leaves, in order to concentrate the active agents in Gymnema sylvestre (GS).
Evidence of a Miracle
In 1990 a series of published studies on GSE lifted this herb from interesting to revolutionary. To begin with, it was shown that the administration of GSE to diabetic animals not only resulted in improved glucose homeostasis, this improvement was accompanied by a regeneration of beta cells in the pancreas.(5) In the words of the authors, "This herbal therapy appears to bring about blood glucose homeostasis through increased serum insulin levels provided by repair/regeneration of the endocrine pancreas." To my knowledge, this is the only compound that has shown the ability to lessen indicators of diabetes by directly repairing/regenerating the pancreas cells responsible for producing insulin. As abnormalities in beta cell number and/or function are directly related to both Type I (insulin dependent) and Type II diabetes mellitus, it appeared that GS and GSE was a major discovery in the battle against one of the most common disorders in the world. Also in 1990, this same research team published results on their treatment of both Type I and Type II diabetics with GSE over a period of more than 2 years. In the case of Type II diabetics, GSE resulted in significant reductions in blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, glycosylated plasma proteins, and conventional drug dosage.(6) At the beginning of the study all participants were taking oral antidiabetic medication, and treatment with GSE resulted not only in a lowering of oral medication necessity, but almost 25% of the participants were able to discontinue conventional oral medication and maintain blood glucose homeostasis with GSE alone. Additionally, GSE significantly improved cholesterol, triglyceride, and free fatty acid levels that were elevated in the study participants. The fact that GSE lowered conventional medication requirements, increased serum insulin levels, and required months to obtain optimal effects, led the authors to speculate that, "These data suggest that the beta cells may be regenerated/repaired in Type 2 diabetic patients on GSE supplementation." The control group used in this study not only didn't improve during the study period, they actually worsened. An additional study in Type 1 diabetics showed equally impressive results.(7) Insulin requirements came down together with blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin and glycosylated plasma protein levels. Serum lipids returned to near normal levels with GSE therapy. This may help prevent cardiovascular disease, a common complication in diabetics. Most impressively, an increase in C-peptide levels was found in these participants. This is strong indication of a restoration of insulin production, presumably due to regeneration/repair of beta cells in the pancreas. A control group showed none of these improvements, and actually worsened over the study period. Importantly, none of the participants in either of these studies presented any adverse side effects, although many patients developed hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) and required a lowering of their dose of conventional oral medication or insulin. Thus, any diabetic that uses GSE must carefully monitor blood glucose levels and adjust their medication, in consultation with their physician, to maintain desired blood glucose levels. This is because improved insulin production and release during GSE supplementation may result in over-medication, and thus low blood glucose levels, unless the dosage of conventional oral medication or insulin is lowered. Since most diabetics monitor their blood glucose levels on a daily basis, this shouldn't present a problem.
Because diabetes usually isn't recognized until significant damage has occurred to the pancreas cells responsible for producing insulin, GSE may be of use to anyone concerned about preventing the development of diabetes, as well as elderly persons who are at high risk for developing diabetes. Taking into account the impressiveness of these results, it is both shocking and dismaying that Gymnema sylvestre remains unknown and unutilized in most of the world. Because its usefulness in diabetes was first reported almost three- quarters of a century ago, the use of Gymnema sylvestre as a treatment for diabetes isn't patentable. I have no doubt that if the effects of Gymnema sylvestre were discovered tomorrow by a pharmaceutical company that had a patent on it, we would see it on the front page of the newspaper as it was hailed as the breakthrough of the century.
Highly recommended source of nutrients and supplements.
References:
1. K.G. Gharpurey, Indian Medical Gazette 1926; 61: 155 (Abstr).
2. K.S. Mhaskar, J.G. Caius, Indian Medical Research Memoirs 1930; 16: 2-75.
3. K.R. Shanmugasundaram, C. Panneerselvam, P. Samudram, et al,
Pharmacological Research Communications 1981; 13: 475-486.
4. E.R.B. Shanmugasundaram, M. Venkatasubramanyam, M. Vijendran, et al,
Ancient Science of Life 1988; 8: 183-194.
5. E.R.B. Shanmugasundaram, K.L. Gopinath, K. Rhada Shanmugasundaram, et al, Journal of Ethnopharmacology 1990; 30: 265-279.
6. K. Baskaran, B. Kizar Ahamath, K. Radha Shanmugasundaram, et al, Journal of Ethnopharmacology 1990; 30: 295-300.
7. E.R.B. Shanmugasundaram, G. Rajeswari, K. Baskaran, et al, Journal of
Ethnopharmacology 1990; 30: 281-294.
© Vitamin Research Products Inc. 2001

Here's another link that provides information on Gymnema Sylvestre in diabetes treatment as well. I'm intrigued enough to give this a try and see what results my glucometer shows me.

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshe...5,10034,00.html

>>"Serum lipids returned to near normal levels with GSE therapy."

Stop the presses! You mean lipid profile is related to glucose/insulin management? </sarcasm>

While this sounds great, what diabetic wouldn't want to see a restoration of their beta cells, I find myself wondering how this whole process fits in with insulin resistance? Increasing the output of the pancreas through regeneration of the beta cells is all well and good, but when a type 2 diabetic first starts down the path towards diabetes, their pancreas is still producing more than enough insulin. Their bodies just become more and more resistant to it requiring more and more insulin to do the same job that less once did leading to beta cell burnout. This may be a great therapy coupled with a carb controlled lifestyle to both heal the pancreas and the insulin resistance together and keep both in line and healthy.
It also seems from reading the above article that it potentially would take months to years to see the benefit from the therapy.
Still...I was out this morning and priced the cost of a month's supply of Gymnema and it ran about $15.00 US...a lot less than most diabetic medications.

He answered his own question there don't you think ?

Where did this post come from? There is no title or reference to a publication at the beginning of the article.

http://intelegen.com/nutrients/gymn...or_diabetes.htm