Traditional Medicine for Diabetes

 Traditional herbs

Tribals in Madhya Pradesh use so many herbs to cure Shakkar Ki Bimari (Diabetes). We herewith bring one common formulation. For them, traditional knowledge has been a boon for curing common ailment. Tribals live in remote areas where healthcare facilities are merely available, for this, they more or less depend upon the herbs.

Tribals in Madhya Pradesh use so many herbs to cure Shakkar Ki Bimari (Diabetes). We herewith bring one common formulation. For them, traditional knowledge has been a boon for curing common ailment. Tribals live in remote areas where healthcare facilities are merely available, for this, they more or less depend upon the herbs. The current series of article aims to bring and highlight their system of treating disorders. In this article a common formulation for curing diabetes has been mentioned.

Combination of herbs viz., Annona squamosa, Gymnema sylvestre, Tinospora cordifolia, Azadirachta indica, Emblica officinalis, Curcuma longa, Trigonella foenum-graecum and Aegle marmelos

Drug preparation: Powder of Annona squamosa Leaves (1 tbsp), Gymnema sylvestre Leaves (3 tbsp), Tinospora cordifolia Stem (1 � tbsp), Azadirachta indica Leaves (1 tbsp), Emblica officinalis Fruit (2 tbsp), Curcuma longa Rhizome (1 tbsp), Trigonella foenum Seeds (1 � tbsp) and Aegle marmelos Fruit (1 � tbsp).

Plant Profiles:

1. Annona squamosa Linn. (Custard-Apple, Sugar-Apple, Sweetsop)

Bengali- Ata, Seetaphal; Gujarati & Marathi- Seetaaphal; Hindi- Seetaaphal, Sharifa; Kannada- Seethaphala; Malayalam- Attichakka, Seethaapazham; Oriya- Ato, Seethaapholo; Sanskrit- Gandhagataram, Seetaaphalam; Tamil- Atta, Seethappazham; Telugu- Gandhagaalaramu, Seetaaphalamu; Assamiya- Atakatal; Punjabi- Sharifa

A large, evergreen, straggling shrub or small tree, 7 m in height, introduced into India, found wild and cultiated in various parts, up to an altitude of 900 m. Bark thin, grey; leaves oblong-lanceolate or elliptic, pellucid-dotted, peculiarly scented, 5.0-15.0 cm x 1.9-3.8 cm; flowers 1-4, greenish, fleshy, drooping, extr�-axillary, more on the leafy shoot than on the older wood, tending to open as the shoot elongates; carpels many, lozenge-shaped, on a central torus, fused into an irregularly globose or heart-shaped, tubercled, yellowish green syncarpium, 5-10 cm in diam; seeds oblong, deep brownish black, aril shining, covered with whitish pulp (WOA, 1997).

2. Gymnema sylvestre R.Br.

Sanskrit- Meshashringi, Madhu-nashini; Hindi- Gur-mar, Merasingi; Bengali- Mera-singi; Marathi- Kavali, Kalikardori, Vakundi; Gujarati- Dhuleti, Mardashingi; Telugu-Podapatri; Tamil- Adigam, Cherukurinja; Kannada- Sannager-asehambu.

A large, more or less pubescent, woody climber found in the Deccan Peninsula, extending to parts of northern and western India; it is occasionally cultivated as a medicinal plant. Leaves opposite, usually elliptic or ovate (1.25-2.0 in. X 0.5-1.25 in.); flowers small, yellow, in umbellate cymes; follicles terete, lanceolate, up to 3 inches in length (WOA, 1997). 

3. Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers ex Hook. f. & Thoms. (Gulancha, Tinospora)

Sanskrit- Amrita, Guluchi, Jwarari; Hindi- Amrita, Giloe, Gulancha, Gulbel, Guloh, Gurcha, Jiwantika; Bengali- Golancha; Marathi & Gujarati- Gulvel; Telugu- Tippateege; Tamil- Amudem chindil; Kannada- Amrutoballi, Madhuparne, Uganiballi; Malayalam- Amrytu, Chittamritam; Oriya- Culochi

A large, glabrous, deciduous climbing shrub found throughout tropical India, ascending to an altitude of 300m. Stems rather succulent with long filiform fleshy aerial roots from the branches. Bark grey-brown or creamy white, warty; leaves membranous, cordate with a broad sinus; flowers small, yellow or greenish yellow, appearing when the plant is leafless, in axillary and terminal racemes or racemose panicles; male flowers clustered and females usually solitary; drupes ovoid, glossy, succulent, red, pea-sized; seeds curved (WOA, 1997).

4. Azadirachta indica A. Juss. syn. Melia azadirachta Linn. (Indian Lilac, Margosa Tree, Neem Tree)

Bengali- Nim; Gujarati- Limbado; Hindi- Nim, Nimb; Kannada- Bevinamara; Malayalam- Veppa; Marathi- Limba; Oriya- Nimba; Sanskrit- Arishta, Nimba; Tamil- Vembu, Veppam; Telugu- Veepachettu, Yapachettu; Urdu- Nim

A large, evergreen tree, 12-18 m in height and 1.8-2.4 m in girth, with a straight bole and long, spreading branches forming a broad crown, commonly found throughout the greater part of India, and often cultivated. Bark grey or dark grey, rough, reddish brown inside, with numerous oblique furrows and scattered tubercles; leaves imparipinnate, alternate, 20-38 cm long: leaflets 8-19, alternate or opposite, ovate-lanceolate, oblique or sub-falcate, falcate-lanceolate, glossy, bluntly serrate; flowers white or pale-yellow, small, scented, numerous, in long, slender, very lax, axillary panicles; drupes green, turning yellow on ripening, aromatic, oblong, or ovoid-oblong, smooth, 1.3-1.8 cm long, with a single exalbuminous seed (WOA, 1997).

5. Emblica officinalis Gaertn. syn. Phyllanthus emblica  Linn. (Emblic Myrobalan, Indian Goosberry)

Sanskrit-Adiphala, Dhatri, Amalaka; Hindi- Amla, Amlika, Aonla; Bengali-Akla, Amlaki; Gujarati- Amali, Ambala; Telugu- Amalakamu, Usirikai; Tamil- Nelli; Kannada- Amalaka, Nelli; Malayalam- Nelli.

A small or  medium-sized deciduous tree with smooth, greenish grey, exfoliating bark. Leaves feathery with small narrowly oblong, pinnately arranged leaflets. Fruits depressed globose, �-1 inch in diam., fleshy and obscurely 6-lobed, containing 6 trigonous seeds. The tree is common in the mixed deciduous forests of India ascending to  4,500 ft. on the hills. It is often cultivated in gardens and homeyards. A type bearing comparatively larger fruits than the wild plant is known in cultivation (WOA, 1997).

6. Curcuma longa  Linn. Syn C.domestica Valeton (Turmeric)

Sanskrit- Haridra; Hindi, Bengali, Marathi & Gujarati- Haldi, halada; Tamil- Manjal; Telugu- Pasupu; Kannada- Arishina

A perennial herb, 2-3 ft. high with a short stem and tuffted leaves; the rhizomes, which are short and thick, constitute the turmeric of commerce. Turmeric is used both as a colouring material and as a condiment. The characteristic yellow matter, distributed throughout the plant, is especially concentrated in the rhizomes (WOA, 1997).

7.  Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn. (Fenugreek)

Sanskrit- Methika, Chandrika, Asumodhagam; Hindi- Methi, Muthi; Bengali- Methi, Methi-shak, Methuka, Hoemgreeb; Marathi- Methi; Gujarati- Methi, Methini, Bhaji; Telugu- Mentikoora (herb) Mentulu (seeds); Tamil- Vendayam; Kannada- Menthya, Mentesoppu, Menk-palle, Mente; Malayalam- Uluva, Venthiam; Punjabi- Methi, Methini, Methri, Methra (seeds)

An aromatic annual, 30-60 cm. tall, found wild in Kashmir, Punjab and the upper Gangotic plains, and widely cultivated in many parts of lndia. Grown for fodder, leaves pinnate, 3-foliolate: leaflets 2.0-2.5 cm. long, oblanceolate-oblong, obscurely dentate; flowors white or yellowish white, 1 or 2, axillary; pods 3-15-cm. long, 10-20 seeded; seeds greenish brown, 2.5-5.0 x 2.0-3.5 mm. oblong with a deep groove across one corner giving the seeds a hooked appearance (WOA, 1997).

8. Aegle marmelos (Linn.) Correa ex Roxb. (Bael Tree, Bengal Quince)

Bengali, Hindi & Marathi- Bael, Bel; Gujarati- Bili; Kannada- Bela, Bilva; Malayalam- Koovalam, Vilvam; Oriya-Belo; Sanskrit- Bilva, Sriphal; Tamil- Bilva, Vilvam; Telugu- Bilavamu, Maredu; Urdu- Bel; Assam- Bael, Bel

A moderate-sized, slender, aromatic tree, 6.0-7.5 m in height and 90-120 cm in girth, with a somewhat fluted bole of 3.0-4.5 m, growing wild throughout the deciduous forests of India, ascending to an altitude  of c 1,200 m in the western Himalayas and also occurring in Andaman Islands. It is extensively planted near Hindu temples for its leaves and wood which are valued in indigenous medicine. Branches armed with straight, sharp, axillary, 2.5 cm long spines; bark soft, corky, light grey, exfoliating in irregular flakes; leaves attenuate, trifoliolate, occasionally digitately five-foliolate, leaflets ovate or ovate-lanceolate, crenate, acuminate, lateral sessile, terminal long-petioled; flowers large,  greenish  white,  sweet-scented, in  short axillary panicles; fruits globose, grey or yellowish, rind woody; seeds numerous, oblong, compressed, embedded in sacs covered with thick orange-coloured sweet pulp (WOA, 1997).

References:

WOA. 1997. Wealth of Asia (AHEAD).

By - 2007-02-26

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