GYMNEMA

Botanical name: Gymnema sylvestre R. Br.

Family name: ASCLEPIADACEAE

                   Gymnema as “sugar destroyer” because the leaves effectively block sweet tastes in the mouth when chewed, the herb is often promoted as an appetite suppressant and weight-loss agent. Diabetes has successfully chewed the leaves to help control blood sugar. Several small, placebo-controlled trials indicate that gymnema extracts may indeed lower blood sugar levels. In those with type-I diabetes, gymnema seems to enhance the action of insulin. In one study, 27 people with type-I diabetes who took gymnema leaf extracts for several months required less insulin to control their blood sugar levels. Animal studies also support this use; they indicate that gymnema can double the amount of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, and return blood sugar levels to normal as a result.  In the case of the far more prevalent type-II diabetes--also known as noninsulin-dependent diabetes--research findings indicate that the use of gymnema may improve blood sugar control and result in the need for smaller doses of oral diabetes drugs to control the disease. Traditional Ayurvedic medicine uses gymnema to treat a variety of other disorders as well, including digestion problems, cough, constipation, and malaria. Animal studies indicate a possible role for gymnema in lowering cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS OF GYMNEMA EXTRACT