Chinese Herbal Medicine Helps Prevent Diabetes among the At-Risk

Sharon Moore January 22, 2014

A combination of Chinese herbal medicine, called Tianqi, may help prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes among those who are already at risk of it – a new study found. The effects of the herb were similar with that of metformin and acarbose, the commonly known drugs used for diabetes.

"Patients often struggle to make the necessary lifestyle changes to control blood sugar levels, and current medications have limitations and can have adverse gastrointestinal side effects," study researcher Dr Chun-Su Yuan, M.D., Ph.D., said in a statement. "Traditional Chinese herbs may offer a new option for managing blood sugar levels, either alone or in combination with other treatments."

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, involved 389 people in China, 198 of whom who were assigned to take either a capsule of the Tianqi Chinese herb mixture three times a day before meals for a year, and 191 of whom were assigned to take a placebo pill. Participants received lifestyle education for a month at the start of the study, and also consulted with nutritionists throughout the study.

At the end of the study period (which lasted for one year), 36 people who took the Tianqi pill developed diabetes whilst 56 of those who took a placebo pill did. Overall, Tianqi pill users had 32.1 per cent lower diabetes risk compared with the placebo group. What’s more, participants who took the Tianqi pill tolerated the herbal mixture well, and that the prescribed dosage was significantly lower than the dose known to be toxic.

The herbal mixture, composed of different Chinese herbs, is now being sold in China in a pill form.

“Our data also showed that after a period of cessation of the Tianqi treatment, the preventive effects on T2DM development remained significant,” the researchers wrote.

Whilst more studies are needed to confirm the results, the researchers add that Tianqi promises an effective and practical means in preventing Type 2 diabetes.

Source of this article:

Chinese Medicine Promising In Preventing Diabetes among Those At-Risk