Abstract :
In the United States of America, more than two thirds of the adult US population are now using complementary or alternative medicine and most of the corresponding remedies are available without a physician´s prescription. 1 As for diabetes, 31% of 502 Canadian patients were found to take alternative drugs2 and German diabetes patients similarly use a broad spectrum of herbals or procedures such as acupuncture. According to a German study, “Sauerkraut” and its juice top the list, followed by brandy (klarer Schnaps), onion, and different herbal teas. Garlic and even raw snails were also believed to be helpful.3,4 Garlic and onion were already popular with European diabetes patients in the 19th century; in much of Asia, the traditional remedy was banyan, whereas Chinese, Indians and Australians resorted to karela. Before the advent of insulin, many Europeans also put their trust in baker´s yeast or blueberries, but now cinnamon has emerged as the top favourite in the alternative treatment of diabetes - at least in Germany. Many European pharmacies also offer a preparation derived from bitter melon, a popular Indian vegetable, in order to “to help and ameliorate the metabolism” in diabetes. According to the manufacturer, a well known Swiss pharmaceutical company, the preparation´s potency derives in part from flavinoids and saponins. Altogether, more than 400 herbals with varying efficacy in lowering blood sugar levels have been described in the past.
