Maintaining a Physiological Blood Glucose Level with ‘Glucolevel’, a Combination of Four Anti‐Diabetes Plants Used in the Traditional Arab Herbal Medicine

Abstract

Safety and anti-diabetic effects of Glucolevel, a mixture of dry extract of leaves of the Juglans regia L, Olea europea L, Urtica dioica L and Atriplex halimus L were evaluated using in vivo and in vitro test systems. No sign of toxic effects (using LDH assay) were seen in cultured human fibroblasts treated with increasing concentrations of Glucolevel. Similar observations were seen in vivo studies using rats (LD50: 25 g/kg). Anti-diabetic effects were evidenced by the augmentation of glucose uptake by yeast cells (2-folds higher) and by inhibition of glucose intestinal absorption (∼49%) in a rat gut-segment. Furthermore, treatment with Glucolevel of Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats for 2–3 weeks showed a significant reduction in glucose levels [above 400 ± 50 mg/dl to 210 ± 22 mg/dl (P < 0.001)] and significantly improved sugar uptake during the glucose tolerance test, compared with positive control. In addition, glucose levels were tested in sixteen human volunteers, with the recent onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus, who received Glucolevel tablets 1 × 3 daily for a period of 4 weeks. Within the first week of Glucolevel consumption, baseline glucose levels were significantly reduced from 290 ± 40 to 210 ± 20 mg/dl. At baseline, a subgroup of eleven of these subjects had glucose levels below 300 mg% and the other subgroup had levels ≥ 300 mg%. Clinically acceptable glucose levels were achieved during the 2–3 weeks of therapy in the former subgroup and during the 4th week of therapy in the latter subgroup. No side effect was reported. In addition, a significant reduction in hemoglobin A1C values (8.2 ± 1.03 to 6.9 ± 0.94) was found in six patients treated with Glucolevel. Results demonstrate safety, tolerability and efficacy of herbal combinations of four plants that seem to act differently but synergistically to regulate glucose-homeostasis.

Cancer Treatment by Greco-Arab and Islamic Herbal Medicine

“…Advanced tumors are treated usually by chemotherapy and although these drugs are effective, they are associated with severe adverse events and drug resistance [2,3]. In the search for new cancer therapeutics with low toxicity and minimal side effects, traditional Islamic medicines might be promising candidates [4][5][6][7][8][9].…”

The Effect of Urtica dioica Hydro-Alcoholic Extract on Glycemic Index and AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Levels in Diabetic Patients: A Randomized Single-Blind Clinical Trial

“…In another study, a significant decrease in HbA1c levels is reported in T2DM who received UD extract (for 8 weeks). Said et al (22) reported that one tablet of glucolevel (a mixture of the dried leaves extract of Juglansre- gia L., Oleaeuropea L., Urticadioica L,. and Atriplexhalimus L.) three doses per day for 4 weeks, significantly reduced the HbA1c levels in 6 out of 16 patients (P < 0.01).…”

Traditional Medicinal Systems for Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus: A Review

“…It has been reported to enhance the insulin production in the body and thus maintaining blood glucose level. Medicines prepared from these herbs or their products are used clinically [100]. Along with herbs, mineral extracts from animals are also used to prepare traditional medicines for the treatment of DM [100,101].…”