Non-traditional therapies for diabetes: fact or fiction

Abstract

The number of medications now available to treat Type 2 Diabetes has been expanding quickly over the past two decades. At the same time, the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has also been rising. Individuals with diabetes are 1.6 times more likely than those without diabetes to use modalities that are not considered part of conventional medicine. Numerous dietary supplements are available over the counter and are being advertized to treat diabetes and its co morbidities. No conclusive data on their clinical benefit, potential harms, dosing or interaction with other medications is yet available. But for clinicians to maintain a trusting relationship with their patient, a respectful non-confrontational attitude is needed to encourage open dialogue, provide accurate information, and facilitate changes to the medical regimen. It is essential that clinicians stay informed and advise their patient with the available scientific data accordingly. In this review, we focus on current data on six supplements commonly encountered in community practice for treating diabetes, including cinnamon, fenugreek, vinegar, ginseng, bitter melon, gymnema, chromium, and vanadium.

Phytochemical Profiling in Conjunction with In Vitro and In Silico Studies to Identify Human α-Amylase Inhibitors in Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit for the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus

“…As nutraceuticals, hexadecanoic acid and oleic acid could serve for nonpharmacological strategies for treating T2DM. − However, possible detrimental side effects (e.g., fatty liver, insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, or other cardiovascular diseases) of long-term treatment at higher doses must be considered and would require further animal and human studies. − Moreover, although L. leucocephala leaves could be a reasonable alternative medicine in the form of a food supplement for relief of T2DM, , isolated and purified fatty acids from different plant origins and with proven inhibitory activity of key enzymes related to T2DM − would require optimized production processes at an industrial scale and would have to pass through the entire drug development process, including clinical trials. − …”

“…64−67 However, possible detrimental side effects (e.g., fatty liver, insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, or other cardiovascular diseases) of long-term treatment at higher doses must be considered and would require further animal and human studies. 67−74 Moreover, although L. leucocephala leaves could be a reasonable alternative medicine in the form of a food supplement for relief of T2DM, 75,76 The X-axis indicates the AA residue number of the α-amylase protein. Protein interactions with the ligand were monitored throughout the simulation.…”