Local plants’ combo could provide diabetes cure

There is no cure for diabetes! But recent studies suggest that a combination of local plants with lifestyle changes especially increase in physical activities and skipping dinner could be used to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes and effectively manage and stop complications in those already with the disease. CHUKWUMA MUANYA writes on the combination of local plants that could provide the next novel drug for the condition. Several studies have shown that there is rise in cases of diabetes in the country with the attendant complications including kidney damage, limb amputation, irreversible blindness, erectile dysfunction, hypertension to mention but a few. But a new study has shown that a combination of scent leaf (Ocimum basilicum), stonebreaker (Phyllanthus niruri) and mistletoe (Viscum album) may provide the remedy. Earlier studies had validated bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), bitter kola (Garcinia kola) and bitter gourd or melon (Mormodica charantia) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. According to the Second Edition of Handbook of African Medicinal Plants by Maurice Iwu, a peptide designated as P-insulin has been reported from Mormodica. A preparation of Vernonia amygdalina has also received United States Patent for treatment of diabetes and cancer.The new study titled “Antidiabetic property of some Nigerian medicinal plants” was published in Journal of Medicinal Plants Research. The authors were led by Prof. Maurice M. Iwu of the International Centre for Ethnomedicine & Drug Development (INTERCEDD), Nsukka, Enugu State;Michel K. Tchimene of the Department of Pharmacognosy & Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka; and Charles O. Okoli of the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.The. Source: Guardian