Prevention and treatment of diabetes in the Jablanica District (Serbia)

Abstract

The study on the prevention and treatment of diabetes was conducted on the territory of the Jablanica District, in the municipalities of Leskovac, Vlasotince, Lebane, Bojnik and Medveđa. The research involved 59 respondents, 27 men, and 32 women. Research indicated that waist circumference was an important indicator. The highest values of this parameter were within the people with T2D. Body mass index (BMI) might be an indicator of this disease, too. One-third of people with T2D were with BMI values above 30, which indicates adiposity. Taraxacum officinale (15%), Urtica dioica (11%), Vaccinium myrtillus (10%), Betula pendula (8%), and Mentha x piperita (8%) were the plant species the most frequently cited in the prevention and treatment of diabetes by the respondents. Apium graveolens, Rubus spp., Phaseolus vulgaris, Artemisia absinthium, and Trigonella foenum-graecum were cited in frequency with 3% of respondents’ answers, and with 2% of answers each: Glechoma hederacea, Matricaria chamomilla, Centaurium erythraea, Juniperus communis, Foeniculum vulgare, Inula helenium, Petroselinum crispum, while the following plant species were mentioned in the frequency of 1% of responses: Aronia melanocarpa, Arctium lappa, Helianthus tuberosus, Cichorium intybus, Morus nigra, Zingiber officinale, Rhamnus frangula, Linum usitatissimum. Most of the listed plants were said to be used in tea form, except for the plant species Apium graveolens and Helianthus tuberosus which were used fresh, while Foeniculum vulgare and Rhamnus frangula were used in tincture form.