A Belfast-based scientist has claimed that a herb found in the Himalayan region could be effective in controlling Type 2 Diabetes. Dr.Yasser Abdel-Wahab, a senior lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Ulster, and his team discovered that the roots of a cucumber-like vegetable - a herb found in the forests of India - and extracts from the bark of a Himalayan plant, all showed positive results in test cases.
Dr Abdel-Wahab said that following early laboratory work carried out on the Northern Ireland-based campus, researchers discovered the bark of Swertia chirayita, a plant traditionally grown in the Himalayas and also known as chirette, indicated that some compounds extracted from the bark appeared to stimulate insulin production and improve its action.
"Natural anti-diabetic drug discovery is a key area of research that is attracting a lot of interest. More research is needed to establish definitively how and if our findings could be translated into new therapeutic agents for treatments for people with Type 2 diabetes, but we are hopeful that this will one day be the case," he said. Scientists have been investigating complementary therapies that have the potential to help treat Type 2 diabetes. - PTI.
Courtesy: The Hindu, March 16, 2009.
Detailed Wikipedia articles on "Diabetes Mellitus Type 2" and "Diabetic Diet":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes_type_2
Dr Abdel-Wahab said that following early laboratory work carried out on the Northern Ireland-based campus, researchers discovered the bark of Swertia chirayita, a plant traditionally grown in the Himalayas and also known as chirette, indicated that some compounds extracted from the bark appeared to stimulate insulin production and improve its action.
"Natural anti-diabetic drug discovery is a key area of research that is attracting a lot of interest. More research is needed to establish definitively how and if our findings could be translated into new therapeutic agents for treatments for people with Type 2 diabetes, but we are hopeful that this will one day be the case," he said. Scientists have been investigating complementary therapies that have the potential to help treat Type 2 diabetes. - PTI.
Courtesy: The Hindu, March 16, 2009.
Detailed Wikipedia articles on "Diabetes Mellitus Type 2" and "Diabetic Diet":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes_type_2
Grateful thanks to The Hindu, India's National Newspaper and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
