Diabetes
The term ‘Diabetes’ has been used classically for involuntary or excessive Urination. Therefore, not all traditional formulas classically used for ‘Diabetes’ are relevant for the modern diagnosis of Diabetes (Diabetes mellitus).Diabetes can be divided into Diabetes Insipidus and Diabetes mellitus.
- Diabetes Insipidus–marked by excessive urination, with dehydration and thirst.
- Diabetes mellitus–may present similarly, but shows sugar in the urine due to abnormal carbohydrate metabolism and is far more common and is becoming more common in the developed world.
Diabetes Mellitus is divided into two main types:
- Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM or Type 1)
- Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM or Type 2). It may also be classified into Juvenile Onset (former) and Late Onset (latter).
Avicenna classed Diabetes as being due to either Cold attacking the Kidneys, or excess Heat of the Kidneys. Cold attacks the Kidneys and weakens them. Excess Heat damages Yin and makes the person drink more fluid, yet is always thirsty.
In a more elaborate classification from Traditional Chinese Medicine, Diabetes is either associated with Kidney or Spleen deficiency, or excess Heat.
- Kidney Deficiency:
- Yin Deficiency: Low back and knee pain, dizzy, tinnitus, night sweating, spermatorrhea, Fever at night, heat in the feet at night, dry mouth, Red tongue with little coating, Rapid and thin pulse
- Yin Deficiency with Heat: Tidal or Afternoon Fever, Night Sweats, hot feeling in the feet, thirst, Small, rapid pulse, Red tongue with little coating, or dry and slight cracks
- Yang Deficiency: Low back and leg pain and weakness, Cold feeling in the body or lower body, thirsty, difficult or frequent urination, nocturnal urination, edema, Pale, swollen tongue with a moist white coat, Slow, deep and weak pulse.
- Spleen Deficiency:
- Poor appetite, indigestion, loose stool, emaciation, pale face, pale moist tongue, Small, deep pulse
- Excess Heat
- Sweating, Thirst, dry mouth, irritability, big pulse, Red Tongue
- Bai Hu Tang
- Bai Hu Tang
- Sweating, Thirst, dry mouth, irritability, big pulse, Red Tongue
- Strengthen and Astringe the Kidneys
- Nourish Kidney Yin
- Strengthen Spleen
- Clear Heat
Of course diet plays a key role in the management of Diabetes Mellitus. Reducing Sugar and refined carbohydrates, reducing food intake if necessary and increasing exercise are all important.
Foods useful to help control Diabetes:
|
Broccoli Pumpkin Okra Spinach, Kale Asparagus Blueberries, Raspberries |
Beans, Lentils Oat, Oat bran Pumpkin seeds Chia seed Linseed Nuts (Peanuts, Almonds, Walnuts) |
Apple Cider Vinegar Citrus fruit Seafood, Fatty fish Eggs Yoghurt, Kiefer Sauerkraut, Kimchi |
Medicines with Reported Hypoglycemic effects
|
Barley Camomile Cassia Cinnamon Coriander seed Cucumber seed Cumin Cyperus rotundus |
Fenugreek Fig Frankincense Gall Gum Arabic Hawthorn Juniper berry Lavender |
Myrrh Myrtle Oregano Pepper Plantain Pomegranate Pumpkin seed Purslane |
Raisin Rhubarb Rose Rosemary Sage Squill Tamarind Water Lily |
|
Adiantum Anacardium Bidens pilosa |
Clerodendrum Coccinia grandis Colocynth |
Ficus racemosa bark Garlic Hygrophila auriculata |
Nux Vomica Rauwolfia Scoparia dulcis |
|
Western Tradition Simples
Combinations 1. Fenugreek, Coriander seed 2. Cinnamon, Fenugreek 3, Nettle root Vervain Caraway (Wirtzung) 4. Emblic Myrobalan Tumeric Tribulus seed Barberry (Tibetan Medicine) 5. Myrtle seed with Coriander, Rose, Pomegranate 6. Chebula, Safflower, Cardamon, Shilajit, Madder, Emblic Myrobalan, Tumeric, Barberry, Tribulus (Tibetan Medicine) 7. Plantain seed, Purslane seed, Coriander seed, Rose, Armenian Earth, Tormentil, Nutmeg 8. Gymnema, Bitter Gourd, Fenugreek, Tinospora (this was trialled in India wih impressive results) Formulas Conserve of Rose Decoction Liberans Syrup of Violet Compound Abbots Confect of Rose (Diarrhodon Abbatis) (Nicholas) Powder for Diabetes (Unani) Powder for Diabetes Greater (Unani) Powder for Diabetes (Riverius) Powder for Diabetes (Wirtzung) Powder for Incontinence (Rhasis) Decoction for Diabetes from Heat (Wirtzung) Troches of Barberry (Mesue) Troches of Spodium (Trochisci Spodii) (Mesue) Troches of Spodium (Trochisci Spodii) (Avicenna) Troches of Spodium (Trochisci Spodii) (Nicholas) Candraprabha Vati (Ayurveda) Emblic 6 (Kyu ru duk pa) (Tibetan) Chebula 18 for Urinary Incontinence (Gcin snyi a ru 18) Nectar 3 (Bdud rtsi gsum sbyor) (Tibetan) Possessor of Ruby Color (Pad rag mdog ldan) (Tibetan) |
TCM Classification Lung Heat thirsty even after drinking, maybe low fever, dry mouth, thirst, frequent urination Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang Stomach Heat big appetite, always hungry even after eating, desires cold drinks, loss of weight, dry stools, red tongue Bai Hu Tang Bai Hu Jia Ren Shen Tang Nu Yu Jian Nectar 3 (Bdud rtsi gsum sbyor) (Tibetan) Spleen Deficiency Poor appetite, indigestion, loose stool, emaciation, pale face, pale moist tongue, Small, deep pulse Si Jun Zi Tang Shen Ling Bai Zhu San Yin Deficiency thirst, frequent urination, rice water like urine, sweet smelling urine, dry mouth and lips, shortness of breath, red tongue. Liu Wei Di Huang Wan Mai Wei Di Huang Wan Qi Ju Di Huang Wan Yu Ye Tang Yin Deficient Heat As above, but with more signs of Heat, Night Sweats, Feeling of Heat and Night, more dryness of the Mouth, Irritability and Insomnia Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan Da Bu Yin Wan Yin and Yang Deficiency frequent urination, urinates after drinking, dull and dark face, lower back pain, weak knees, feels the cold, impotence Shen Qi Wan (Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan) (Rehmannia 8) You Gui Yin You Gui Wan Loss of Kidney Essence Spermatorrhea, turbid Urine, excess urination, Thirst, deep and weak Pulse with a p[ale tongue Sang Piao Xiao San Fu Tu Dan |
Special Formulas
|
AMRITAMEHARI CHURNA Gymnema 3 parts Tinospora Emblic Myrobalan Turmeric 1 part each This is marketed in India as an antidiabetic medicine. |
DECOCTION FOR DIABETES One Pig Pancreas. Fresh Rehmannia Sheng Di 12 grams Fresh Astragalus Huang Qi 24 grams Fresh Dioscorea Shan Yao 26 grams Cornus Shan Zhu Yu 16 grams Decoct in water. Take 3-4 cups daily. (The Formulas of Dr. John H.F. Shen) |
Research
1. A Mechanistic Review on Medicinal Plants Used for Diabetes Mellitus in Traditional Persian Medicine2. Diabetes and related remedies in medieval Persian medicine
3. Middle East Medicinal Plants in the Treatment of Diabetes: A Review
4. Tibetan Medicine for Diabetes Mellitus: Overview of Pharmacological Perspectives
5. Tibetan Medicines and Tibetan Prescriptions for the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus
6. Antidiabetic Potential of Medicinal Plants and Their Active Components
7. Role of medicinal plants in the management of diabetes mellitus: a review
8. Phytotherapy in diabetes: Review on potential mechanistic perspectives
9. Prescription Pattern of Chinese Herbal Products for Diabetes Mellitus in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study
10. Standardization of Unani Antidiabetic Tablet – Qurse Tabasheer
11. Hijama (Wet Cupping or Dry Cupping) for Diabetes Treatment
12. Unani treatment and leech therapy saved the diabetic foot of a patient from amputation