NATURAL MEDICINES USED IN THE TRADITIONAL INDIAN MEDICAL SYSTEM FOR THERAPY OF DIABETES MELLITUS

Health and disease are coeval with life. Form time immemorial man has been interested in trying to control diseases.Medicinal plants play an important role in the management of diabetes mellitus especially in developing countries where resources are meager. The medicine man and herbalist under took in various ways to cure man’s disease and bring relief to the sick. One of the chronic, world wide heterogeneous of it will be 5.4% by the year 2025, with the global diabetic population reaching to 300 million. Among all the WHO regimes. South East Asian region are highest affected with maximum global burden of the disease and by year 2025 there will be nearly 80 million diabetic in the region. Type 2 diabetes has become a global epidemic. WHO has pointed out this prevention of diabetes and its complications is not only a major challenge for the future, but essential if health for all is to attain. Therefore, in recent years, considerable attention has been directed towards identification of plants with antidiabeticability that may be used for human consumption. Further, it emphasizes strongly in this regard the optional and rational uses of traditional and natural indigenous medicines. Modern medicines, despite offering a variety of effective treatment options, can have several adverse effects. Ayurveda, a science that uses herbal medicines extensively, originated in India. Few of these herbs, such as Momordica charantia, Pterocarpus marsupium, and Trigonella foenum greacum, have been reported to be beneficial for treating type 2diabetes. Mechanisms such as the stimulating or regenerating effect on beta cells or extra pancreatic effects are proposed for the hypoglycemic action of these herbs. The traditional medicines demonstrated a bright future in therapy of diabetes and to understand the importance of traditional herbs