Additional Benefit of Chinese Medicine Formulae Including for Diabetes Mellitus: Current State of Evidence.

BACKGROUND

Chinese medicine has been used to treat diabetes symptoms for thousands of years. or is a Chinese medicinal herb that is routinely used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM).

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the evidence of the added benefits and safety of herbal formulae containing in clinical studies and the possible mechanisms of in the prevention and treatment of DM in experimental studies.

METHODS

We searched nine databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that included in the formulae in the treatment of type 2 DM. Furthermore, experimental studies on the prevention and treatment of DM by in English- and Chinese-language databases were identified.

RESULTS

Fifty-three moderate quality RCTs with herbal formulae containing were identified. Results from meta-analysis indicated that alone or formulae containing in addition to conventional treatments could benefit people with type 2 DM in lowering blood glucose, blood lipids and reducing insulin resistance. Moreover, adverse events were significantly lower in the CHM plus conventional group than those in the conventional group. may exert the benefit through various mechanisms including inhibition of -glucosidase and DPP-IV activity, increase of endogenous GLP-1 and immune regulating activities.

CONCLUSION

Evidence from this review suggested that there appeared to be added clinical benefits associated with the use of for DM, whether as a food supplement or as a CHM combined with hypoglycemic agents with a good safety profile.