Evaluating Traditional Chinese Medicine and Herbal Products for the Treatment of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Yang Xin Zi Xu,Shengyan Xi,Xiaoyan Qian

doi:10.1155/2019/9182595

Yang Xin Zi Xu, Shengyan Xi + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/9182595

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Abstract

Gestational diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disorder during pregnancy with health consequences for both lives during and after pregnancy. Studies found that many pregnant women turn to complementary and alternative medicine for health maintenance or symptom relief, such as herbal medicine and acupuncture from traditional Chinese medicine. With the growing popularity of traditional Chinese medicine, we conducted a systemic search in PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases on research studies that investigated traditional Chinese medicine during pregnancy. The resultant hits were further searched in relation to all diabetes mellitus. In total, we found three major herbal medicine/herbal products that were associated with glycemic control in gestational diabetes, including Zuo Gui Wan, red raspberry leaves, and Orthosiphon stamineus. We further reviewed them and their relatives in relation to type 2 diabetes mellitus and found more evidence of metabolic benefits. None of the herbal medicine and products examined reported toxicity in the experimental models. Overall, treatments of gestational diabetes by western or alternative interventions are grossly understudied. It is critical to have a standardized protocol when evaluating efficacy of herbal medicine and produce quality results for women and their health-care providers to make informed treatment decisions.

Highlights

Pregnancy is a unique period during a female’s life characterized by a series of physiological and metabolic changes
We sample the web for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and herbal medicine aimed at treating Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)
There are other herbal formulae used in Chinese clinics that aim to resolve specific pathology in GDM such as Qi deficiency and weakness in the spleen and stomach or as adjunctive therapy to insulin

Summary

Introduction

Pregnancy is a unique period during a female’s life characterized by a series of physiological and metabolic changes. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common metabolic complication for pregnant women, which positively correlates with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Journal of Diabetes Research after delivery, both the GDM mother and baby are at an increased risk of developing T2DM later in life. About half of pregnant women visit complementary and alternative medicine practitioner for pregnancy-related health conditions [12]. Women who visit their general practitioners and midwives more frequently are more likely to visit acupuncturists for conditions such as gestational diabetes [12].

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Findings

Concluding Remarks