Tibetan Medicines and Tibetan Prescriptions for the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most serious diseases threatening human health and because of that, it is imperative to look for drugs to tackle it. The Tibetan medicine, a traditional medical system used in China, is currently being the focus of research towards the discovery of new effective drugs against several diseases. Based on the literature survey of Tibetan medicine monographs and drug standards, the Tibetan medicine, and Tibetan prescription used in the traditional Tibetan medical system, here, we summarise the methods indicated for DM treatment. In the Tibetan medical system, 56 types of Tibetan medicine and 25 Tibetan prescriptions were found for the treatment of DM. The most commonly used are Curcuma, Berberidis Cortex, and Carthami Flos. Their names, families, medicinal parts, phytochemical components, and pharmacological activities were described in detail in our research. These Tibetan medicines and prescriptions are valuable gifts from the Tibetan medicine to the world and may be the source of potential drugs for the treatment of DM. With the help of modern phytochemistry, pharmacology, metabonomics, and/or clinical trial methods, further research is needed to prove its medicinal value, identify bioactive components, elucidate potential mechanisms of action, and assess potential side effects or toxicity. This study provides the first available data compilation for the ethnic medical knowledge of Tibetan medicine for the treatment of DM, providing new ideas and sources for drugs against DM.

Understanding of Diabetes in Tibetan, Mongolian, Miao, Dai, Uygur, and Yi Medicine and Collation of Prevention and Cure Medicines

“…Tibetan medicinal knowledge of diabetes, which first appeared in the eighth century, was born in the Four Medical Tantras (the classics of Tibetan medicine). The book calls it “jingnisaku disease,” which falls under the category of frequent urination and is caused by a combination of internal and external factors such as uncontrolled diet and irregular daily routines [ 6 , 7 ]. According to color and nature of urine, the Tibetan medical book Eight Branches Essentials puts forward the classification of diabetes and elaborates the diseases that diabetic patients are prone to, which coincides with the idea of various acute and chronic complications in the late stage of diabetes recognized by modern medicine [ 8 , 9 ].…”

Tibetan Medicine for Diabetes Mellitus: Overview of Pharmacological Perspectives

“…Further studies on TTM will definitely extend their clinical applications. With a great respect to previously review about TMM for the treatment of DM ( Gao et al, 2021 ), our review presents an updated pharmacological view of TMM for further exploration and application in DM and its complications treatment, which providing broadened understanding of the underlying mechanisms of TMM to find innovative strategies for DM management.…”

Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses of Codonopsis convolvulacea Kurz Tuber, Stem, and Leaf Reveal the Presence of Important Metabolites and Key Pathways Controlling Their Biosynthesis

“…Furthermore, in Tibetan medicine, it is used for the treatment of coronary heart diseases, mountain sickness, strengthening of the spleen and stomach, and multiple other diseases ( Tang et al, 2017 and references therein). In Tibetan medicine, it has been reported as a treatment for diabetes mellitus ( Gao et al, 2021 ). It has also been reported that some subspecies of C. convolvulacea , e.g., subsp.…”