Although there is some positive evidence as to the effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicines in reducing the likelihood of developing diabetes, researchers say they need more research before they can confidently say that these treatments work.

Herbal medicines are widely used in Asian countries to treat pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance), the precursor of diabetes.

Pre-diabetes is recognized by higher than normal blood sugar levels. People with pre-diabetes are advised to change their diets to control their blood glucose levels and prevent progress to diabetes. Chinese herbal medicines in the form of herbal pills, teas and powders have been used for a long time to treat pre-diabetes and diabetes. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence for their safety and effectiveness and they are thought to work in a number of different ways to help normalize blood sugar levels, including pancreatic function improvement and increasing the availability of insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.

The researchers considered data from 16 clinical trials including 1,391 people who received 15 different herbal formulations. According to their findings, combining herbal medicines with lifestyle changes is twice as effective as lifestyle changes alone at normalizing patients' blood sugar levels. Those given the herbal formulations were less likely to develop full blown diabetes during the study period. Trials included in the review lasted from one month to two years. No adverse effects were reported in any of the trials.

"Our results suggest that some Chinese herbal medicines can help to prevent diabetes, but we really need more research before we can confidently say that these treatments work," says lead researcher, Suzanne Grant.

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References:
1. Suzanne Grant, et al. Centre for Complementary Medicine Research at the University of Western Sydney in Australia. Wiley-Blackwell.

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