Ancient records and modern research on the mechanisms of chinese herbal medicines in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Hai-Ming Zhang,Feng-Xia Liang,Rui Chen

doi:10.1155/2015/747982

Abstract

Over the past decades, Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) have been extensively and intensively studied through from both clinical and experimental perspectives and CHM have been proved to be effective in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM). This study, by searching ancient records and modern research papers, reviewed CHM in terms of their clinical application and principal mechanism in the treatment of DM. We summarized the use of CHM mentioned in 54 famous ancient materia medica monographs and searched papers on the hypoglycemic effect of several representative CHM. Main mechanisms and limitations of CHM and further research direction for DM were discussed. On the basis of the study, we were led to conclude that TCM, as a main form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), was well recorded in ancient literatures and has less adverse effects as shown by modern studies. The mechanisms of CHM treatment of DM are complex, multilink, and multitarget, so we should find main hypoglycemic mechanism through doing research on CHM monomer active constituents. Many CHM monomer constituents possess noteworthy hypoglycemic effects. Therefore, developing a novel natural product for DM and its complications is of much significance. It is strongly significant to pay close attention to CHM for treatment of DM and its complications.

Highlights

Diabetes mellitus (DM), including type 1 and type 2, has become epidemic worldwide [1–3], and its incidence has been on rise year by year [4]
This paper reviewed records or descriptions concerning the use of Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) for treatment of DM in ancient Chinese literatures and the modern papers on the mechanisms of CHM treating DM
We found more than 40 CHM with hypoglycemic effect in ancient works and reviewed the mechanism of CHM lowering blood sugar

Summary

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus (DM), including type 1 and type 2, has become epidemic worldwide [1–3], and its incidence has been on rise year by year [4]. Previous reports have demonstrated that overweight, especially obesity at younger ages, substantially increases the risk for DM [1, 5–8]. The finding is consistent with the description in the “Medical Classic of the Yellow Emperor,” the earliest monumental work on the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) dating back to the Warring States Period (about 446 B.C.−221 B.C.). DM increases the risk for micro- and macrovascular complications and premature death and poses tremendous socioeconomic burden [2, 4, 9]. In spite of the introduction of insulin and other hypoglycemic agents, so far, no treatment protocols can achieve a complete cure. The side effects of these drugs, which are substantial and inevitable, present another challenge

Results

Discussion

Conclusion