Ayurvedic Interventions for Diabetes Mellitus

The most common conditions or body systems for which studies of Ayurvedic therapies have been published are:
  • Diabetes mellitus.
  • Liver/hepatitis.
  • Infectious diseases.
  • Hypercholesterolemia.
  • Central nervous system disorders (dementia/depression).
  • Cardiovascular diseases.
  • The Ayurvedic therapy that was the most common subject of published studies was herbal therapy. Almost no studies were found on any other Ayurvedic modalities.
  • No studies were found that tested Ayurveda as a whole system or that tested multiple modalities for the same disease state at the same time.
  • A significant body of literature in English exists in India; it can be identified, and a large portion of the studies can be obtained with effort. However, even after extensive efforts, a handful of English-language studies in India could not be found. Studies in non-English languages also exist but were not reviewed.
  • Significant heterogeneity exists in the studies identified. More than 45 single herbs or combination herbal therapies were tested. The study designs likewise were varied. The 54 articles reported the results of 62 studies. Of these, 7 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and 10 were controlled clinical trials (CCTs). There were 38 case series, the most frequently used clinical design, and 7 cohort studies.
  • The most common single herbs studied were Gymnema sylvestre, Coccinia indica, fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), and Eugenia jambolana. A number of herbal formulas were tested, but Ayush-82 and D-400 were the two most often studied.
  • There is evidence to suggest that the single herbs Coccinia indica, holy basil, fenugreek, and Gymnema sylvestre and the herbal formulas Ayush-82 and D-400 have a glucose-lowering effect and deserve further study. Evidence of effectiveness of several other herbs is less extensive (C. tamala, Eugenia jambolana, and Momordica charantia).

Ayurvedic Interventions for Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review. Summary, Evidence Report/Technology Assessment: Number 41. AHRQ Publication No. 01-E039, June 2001. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/ayurvsum.htm

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