Hypoglycemic Property of Ginger and Green Tea and their Possible Mechanisms in Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus disease is increasing rapidly and the incidences in 2010 were about 285 million people worldwide. This is projected to increase to 438 million in 2030. The conventionally used drugs possess many side effects. In addition, the cost of modern antidiabetic drugs is beyond the reach of most people with a low income. Because of this, the need for alternatives that are effective, cheap, and safe is very common.Plants and many plant derived preparations have long been used as traditional remedies for the treatment of diabetes in many parts of the world. Recently, ginger (Zingiber officinale) and green tea (Camellia sinensis) have been widely studied to assess their beneficial effects in treatment and prevention of diabetes mellitus. In vitro and in vivo studies evidenced the potential of ginger and green tea to normalize blood glucose level in diabetes mellitus. In this article we reviewed the various mechanisms through which ginger and green tea exert their hypoglycemic effect. Their pharmacokinetics and safety were also discussed. Results from previous studies revealed that ginger and green tea share some mechanisms of action to reduce blood glucose level in diabetes mellitus. Pharmacokinetics studies provided ample information about their absorption, distribution, and metabolism. Toxicological data exhibited their safety as complementary antidiabetic agents; therefore, a study on the administration of these two herbs simultaneously may be needed as they may exhibit a potential hypoglycemic action due to their synergistic or additive mechanisms of action in diabetes mellitus.

Antihyperglycemic Effects of Aqueous Extracts of Zingiber Officinale, Cinnamonum Zeylanicum and their Combination in Experimental Rats

“…Shagoals are phenolic compounds found in ginger which is dried or semi-dried, they are produced from gingerols upon drying, and this is because gingerols are heat labile. Khulood (2014) showed that a compound in ginger 6gingerol showed antidiabetic properties. The 6-gingerol is also found to reduce fasting blood sugar significantly and improve glucose tolerance when administered at a dose of 100mg/kg for 12 days (Singh et al, 2009).…”

“…It is used for cooking and treating a host of ailments throughout Asia, especially in India and China. It can be consumed as a fresh or dried root and is often prepared in teas, soft drinks, and breads (Khulood, 2014).…”

Biological Activity of Some Aromatic Plants and Their Metabolites, with an Emphasis on Health-Promoting Properties

“…Kondeti Ramudu et al [70] confirmed these reports. Ginger exerts a hypoglycemic effect through the following mechanisms: Increased tissue sensitivity to insulin, stimulation of insulin release, reduction of glucose absorption from the intestine, and inhibition of digestive enzymes, mainly pancreatic amylase [71]. Gingerols and shogaol contained in ginger are responsible for preventing diabetes.…”

Complementary and Alternative Medicine: A Review on the Effects of Ginger, Cinnamon and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Tea in Diabetes

“…Another proposed mechanism is the increased expression of GLUT-4 transporter, which enhances glucose uptake by cells [30]. Lastly, the mechanism proposed by S. Khulood is Epigallocatechin Gallate (ECGC), found in Green tea, which are found to protect the beta-islet cells against cytokine damage [31].…”