Effect of Supplementation of Traditional Medicinal Plants on Blood Glucose in Non–Insulin-Dependent Diabetics: A Pilot Study

The effect of supplementation of a powdered mixture of three traditional medicinal plants—bittergourd, jamun seeds, and fenugreek seeds—in raw and cooked form on blood glucose was studied in 60 non–insulin-dependent male diabetics. The patients were divided into two groups of 30 each. The patients of group I were given the raw powdered mixture in the form of capsules; the patients of group II were given this mixture in the form of salty biscuits. Daily supplementation of 1 g of this powered mixture for a 1.5-month period and then a further increase to 2 g for another 1.5 months significantly reduced the fasting as well as the postprandial glucose level of the diabetic patients. A significant decrease in oral hypoglycemic drug intake and decline in percentage of the subjects who were on hypoglycemic drugs were found after the 3-month feeding trial. It was concluded that 2 g of a powdered mixture of traditional medicinal plants in either raw or cooked form can be successfully used for lowering blood glucose in diabetics.