Herbal Medicines Used for the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia.

Background Due to the chronic nature of diabetes mellitus (DM) and the potential side effects associated with conventional medications, there has been growing interest in the use of complementary and alternative therapies for DM management. Objective The objective of this study was to assess the use of herbal medicines for the treatment of DM among diabetic patients in Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenience sample of 53 diabetic patients (both genders, aged 20-55 years). A predesigned, structured questionnaire was used to collect data on patients' demographics, DM-related clinical information, use of herbal products for DM treatment, types of herbs used, duration of use, perceived effectiveness in lowering blood sugar, any side effects, and sources of information about the herbs. Results Among the participants, 60.4% were aged 50-55 years, 79.2% were female, 54.7% had a university education, 45.3% were employed, 35.8% had a monthly income of 10,001-20,000 SAR, and 7.5% were ex-smokers. Chronic diseases were reported by 58.5% of participants, with hypertension (61.3%) and hypercholesterolemia (51.6%) being the most common comorbidities. The duration of DM was 16-20 years for 35.8% of participants, and 73.6% were on oral hypoglycemic agents. The prevalence of herbal medicine use was 56.6%, with cinnamon (43.4%), coriander (33.3%), and moringa (30%) being the most commonly used herbs. Most users (70.1%) reported that the herbal remedies were effective in lowering blood sugar levels, and none reported any side effects. No statistically significant associations were found between herbal medicine use and participants' demographic or clinical characteristics. Conclusions More than half of the diabetic patients in this study reported using herbal remedies. Further longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are needed to evaluate usage patterns and determine the potential benefits and/or risks of herbal medicine use in DM management.