Title: Diabetes and Natural Healing

Biography:

Taherah Mohammadabadi is a Professor, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Technology, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Iran.

Abstract

Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders associated with chronic hyperglycemia in the blood that occurs due to a defect in the insulin secretion or insulin function or both. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that is associated with destruction of pancreatic beta cells in producing of insulin. Type 2 diabetes causes an increase in blood glucose due to decreased insulin secretion and function. Diabetes mellitus is linked with cardiovascular diseases and kidney and liver failures. Although the proper treatment of diabetes includes insulin injection continuously to maintain blood glucose level, but nowadays, the researchers following some adjunctive natural healings for diabetes. Dry extract of milk thistle seeds has 1-4 % silymarin that reduces blood glucose by acting on glucose-6-phosphatase and inhibiting gluconeogenesis. However, silymarin reduces insulin secretion without causing high blood sugar, and this effect can be helpful in treatment of hyperinsulinemia in type 2 diabetes. It is proved that anethole (the active ingredient in anise) can control blood sugar levels and improve the function of the pancreas cells. Tribulus terrestris plant may lead to delayed glucose uptake and reduce blood glucose by inhibiting of alpha glucosidase and suppression of glucose transfer from gastric to small intestine and inhibition the transfer of glucose across the small intestine and prevent hepatic gluconeogenesis. The licorice extract has anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory effects that help to lower blood sugar, prevent insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Phenolic compounds in plant extracts such as Moringa may be to some extent responsible for the anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties. Some other effective herbs on type 2 diabetes are including cinnamon, okra, clove, fenugreek, ginger, garlic and cumin. Camel milk contains insulin like proteins, which does not form coagulum in the acidic condition of stomach, and may be an effective alternative for insulin to treat type 1 and 2 and gestational diabetes. Camel milk may reduce required insulin dose about 30–35% in type 1 diabetes patients. Lactoferrin of camel milk has immune- modulatory effects on pancreas beta-cells and reduces required insulin doses in diabetes 1 and 2 patients. Obviously, camel milk effects on regulating of blood glucose are including; effect on insulin receptor function, signaling and glucose transport in the insulin-sensitive tissues, effect on the growth and activity of the pancreatic beta-cells in insulin secretion and negative modulation on the glucagon receptor. It is concluded, camel milk can be helpful for type 2 diabetes and reduce the required insulin and blood glucose. It appears that more scientific studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of some natural herbs and camel milk on diabetes cases.