Benefits of Gymnema

! Gymnema, Gymnema Sylvestre is a medicinal plant, popularly known as “gurmar” in Hindi, which means “sugar destroying” .

!  It is a woody climbing plant native to central/ southern India, Africa, Vietnam, Japan and Australia.

! Other common names are Cowplant, or Miracle Fruit.

!  The Gymnema leaves contain bioactive components of a group of saponins called gymnemic acid.

!  Other significant constituents include parabin, glucose and carbohydrates.

!  Gymnema has been an important herb in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.

!  Its uses has been primarily to the management of diabetes, upper respiratory infections, and fevers.

!  The saponins can aid with stomach ailments, constipation, water retention and liver disease.

!  Gymnema also helps reduce the amount of lipids in your bloodstream and possesses anti-atherosclerotic action.

!  Other methods include reducing serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL).

!  Chewing the leaves, rinsing the mouth with water, or topical application to the tongue may selectively inhibit the sensation of sweetness.

!  As early as 1980s, researchers have started to study the anti-diabetic effects of Gymnema sylvestre leaf extracts.

!  Studies have shown Gymnema powder to effective in lowering blood sugar when given 10g/day for seven days.

!  Other studies shows that administration of 200 mg/d of G. Sylvestre extract decreased the required insulin dose by 50% and lowered A1C in both type 1 and type 2 Diabetes by 18 to 20 months.

!  Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract appears to have the benefits on supporting blood glucose homeostasis of diabetic rats through increased serum insulin levels via repair or regeneration of the endocrine pancreas.

!  There is little indication of toxicity and contraindications for the use of Gymnema.

!  This herb has been deemed very safe for adults when taken in recommended doses.

!  It has also been suggested that this herb may reduce the amount of triglycerides and LDLs, “bad cholesterol”, in the bloodstream.

!  Chewing the leaves, or even taking capsule form, can alter the taste of sugar when ingested and reduce the sweetness.

!  The most common dosage for blood sugar control is 400 to 600 mg when taken with food.

!  Bone, K. (2003). A clinical guide to blending liquid herbs: Herbal formulations for the Individual patient. St. Louis, MO: Churchill Livingstone.

!  Gymnema Uses, Benefits & Side Effects - Drugs.com Herbal Database. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2016, from https://www.drugs.com/npc/gymnema.html

!  Gymnema. (2016.). Retrieved November 12, 2016, from https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/databases/food,-herbs- supplements/professional.aspx?productid=841

!  Hyman, M. (2012). The Blood Sugar Solution. New York, NY Hachette.

!  Martínez-Abundis, E., Villar, M. M., Pérez-Rubio, K. G., Zuñiga, L. Y., Cortez- Navarrete, M., Ramírez-Rodriguez, A., & González-Ortiz, M. (2016). Novel nutraceutic therapies for the treatment of metabolic syndrome. World Journal of Diabetes WJD, 7(7), 142. doi:10.4239/wjd.v7.i7.142

!  Petersen, D. (2016) Dynamic Phytotherapy Homeobotanical Materia Medica: Module Portland OR: American College of Healthcare Sciences.

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