• Trigonella foenum graecum (Fenugreek)
• Aloes
• Arctium lappa (Burdock Root)
• Momordica charantia (Bitter Gourd)
• Panax Ginseng (Korean ginseng)

Herbal medicine has been used for many years by different cultures around the world, both for the prevention and treatment of diabetes. It has only been recently that some of these herbal treatments have been studied scientifically.

Fenugreek seed (Trigonella foenumgraecum) is an annual plant of the leguminous family. Fenugreek seeds are commonly used as a condiment in India. Yemenite Jews have traditionally used fenugreek to treat type II diabetes. In one study, 10 insulin-dependent diabetics consumed isocaloric diets with or without 100 g/day of debittered, defatted fenugreek-seed powder, each for 10 days in random order.143 The powder was divided into two equal doses and incorporated into bread. Compared with the control diet, the mean fasting plasma glucose concentration was significantly lower by 28% and glucose tolerance was significantly better during fenugreek treatment. Serum total-and LDL-cholesterol levels were also significantly reduced by fenugreek. Similar results were achieved with a lower dose of fenugreek seeds.

The dried sap of the aloe plant is used as a traditional remedy for diabetes in the Arabian peninsula. Administration of one-half teaspoon daily for 4-14 weeks to five patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes resulted in a mean reduction in serum glucose from 273 to 151 mg/dl (p<0.05). Administration of aloes also reduced plasma glucose in alloxan-diabetic mice.

Burdock root has been used traditionally in cases of skin eruptions, gout, and rheumatism. It is commonly used in Japanese cooking. In an uncontrolled study, administration of burdock root in doses of 54-81 g/day reduced insulin requirements in several diabetics. This effect disappeared when the treatment was discontinued; resumption of Burdock root again reduced insulin requirements.

The fruit of Momordica charantia (Bitter Gourd) has been used in traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of rheumatism, gout, dysmenorrhea, jaundice, and disorders of the liver and spleen. Administration of an extract of momordica to mice with alloxan-induced diabetes significantly lowered blood sugar and delayed the onset of retinopathy, nephropathy148 and cataract. Administration of 230 g/day of momordica for 8-11 weeks to a group of nine diabetic patients, significantly improved the results of oral glucose tolerance tests.

Panax Ginseng, commonly known as Korean ginseng, has a long history of use in Asian countries as a tonic. It is used in China to treat diabetes. At least five constituents of this herb have been shown to exert hypoglycemic effects. In one study, 36 non-insulin-dependent diabetics were randomly assigned to receive ginseng (100 or 200mg per day) or a placebo for eight weeks (the type of ginseng was not specified). Compared with placebo, treatment with ginseng lowered blood sugar levels and improved mood and psychological performance. The 200-mg dose of ginseng was more effective than the lower dose.