The herb Pongamia Pinnata is mentioned in the ancient Indian book of medicines in several instances. Its root, bark, leaves, flowers, seed oil are found to be beneficial in treating a range of ailments. However, there has been a dearth of scientific experiments to confirm the benefits of this herb in modern times. This article chronicles in brief about what the research community has to say about the effectiveness of this herb in treating diabetes.
Knowledge Gained from Research about Pongamia Pinnata:
- 30 experimental rats were taken as samples for carrying out this study.
- A chemical substance called alloxan was induced in to the body of these rats to make them diabetic.
- Extracts of the herb were given to these rats as to study the effect of the herb on the glucose levels in blood.
- The researchers also wanted to understand the herb’s role in controlling a dreadful condition called oxidative stress.
- This condition is caused when the presence of harmful chemical substances called free radicals in the body exceed beyond a limit.
- It is not possible to stop the production of free radicals in the body as they are associated with the essential process of respiration.
- A diabetic patient’s body, is incapable of restricting the number of free radicals and thus remain prone to oxidative stress.
- The research study was carried out for a period of 45 days.
At the end of the study, the herb Pongamia Pinnata was found to reduce the blood glucose level and the risk of oxidative stress in diabetic rats significantly. Generally a drug called Glibenclamide is used to control the glucose level in experimental rats which are made diabetic by inserting alloxan substance. The research study showed that this herb has effectiveness in treating diabetes similar to the drug Glibenclamide.
However, the researchers are of the opinion that further studies are required before the herb’s extracts are given to human for treating diabetes.
