Herbal Remedies for Lifestyle Diseases: Managing and Preventing Diabetes, Obesity, and Cardiovascular Conditions
Marjan Ganjali Dashti 1, Md Shamsuddin Sultan Khan 2*
Australian Herbal Insight 5(1) 1-8 https://doi.org/10.25163/ahi.5121069
Submitted: 18 April 2022 Revised: 16 June 2022 Published: 29 June 2022
The rising prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases prompts interest in herbal remedies, which offer the potential to manage diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular conditions.
Abstract
The escalating global burden of lifestyle-related diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular conditions, has prompted a growing interest in alternative and complementary therapies. Herbal remedies have emerged as a promising avenue for managing and preventing these diseases, owing to their historical use and potential efficacy. This article delves into herbal interventions, focusing on their application in addressing the lifestyle diseases prevalent in various regions, as mentioned above. Lifestyle diseases are a significant health concern in modern culture, frequently associated with sedentary lives and unhealthy eating habits. Although traditional medicine provides good care, more people realize that herbal therapies can supplement or replace traditional methods. Herbal treatments have a long history of use in many different civilizations. They are drawn from natural sources like plants. They are considered a possibly safer and more convenient choice, particularly in areas with little healthcare services. Various plants and botanical substances with antidiabetic characteristics have been discovered while investigating herbal treatments for diabetes. Certain foods, such as cinnamon, fenugreek, and bitter melon, have shown promise in controlling blood sugar levels. By providing a route to glycemic management, these herbal therapies may lessen the need for artificial drugs. Herbal treatments that try to increase metabolism, decrease hunger, and improve fat metabolism are used to treat obesity, another common issue. The potential weight-management benefits of plants like Garcinia cambogia and green tea extracts have drawn interest. The paper outlines these herbs' processes and emphasizes the need for more study in this field. Herbal treatments can also be beneficial for cardiovascular illnesses, which are a major cause of death worldwide. There is evidence that several herbs, such as garlic, hawthorn, and turmeric, can lower blood pressure and cholesterol and improve heart health. The evidence for their application in the treatment of cardiovascular disease is reviewed in the article.This article concludes by highlighting the potential use of herbal remedies to treat and avoid diseases linked to an unhealthy lifestyle. Herbal treatments have demonstrated promise in treating diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases; however, further studies are required to determine their safety, effectiveness, and ideal dosage. Investigating these natural substitutes provides a comprehensive approach to healthcare that accommodates various geographic needs and preferences. Healthcare professionals may find that incorporating herbal medicines into conventional therapy gives them useful tools in the fight against lifestyle diseases.
Keywords: Herbal remedies, Lifestyle diseases, Diabetes, Obesity, Cardiovascular conditions
References
Adams, J. (2010). Herbal medicine: A study of usage, knowledge, attitude, and educational needs of pharmaceutical practitioners. Health Education Research, 25(2), 299-308.
Akhtar, M. S., et al. (2018). Plants as a source of natural antiviral agents. In M. Iqbal Choudhary (Ed.), Antiviral Natural Products (pp. 93-116).
Allameh, Z., Salari, P., & Kazemi, F. (2011). Effect of silymarin on lipid profile of rats with hypercholesterolemia. Health Promotion Perspectives, 1(2), 116-124.
American Cancer Society. (2021). Cancer Causes and Risk Factors.
Balk, E., Chung, M., Lichtenstein, A., Chew, P., Kupelnick, B., Lawrence, A., … & Lau, J. (2006). Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular risk factors and intermediate markers of cardiovascular disease. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, (153), 1-149.
Barnes, J., Anderson, L. A., & Phillipson, J. D. (2016). Herbal medicines: A guide for healthcare professionals. CRC Press.
Barnes, J., et al. (2016). Kava: An overview. Nutrition, 32(3), 313-317.Ekor, M. (2014). The growing use of herbal medicines: Issues relating to adverse reactions and challenges in monitoring safety. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 4, 177.
Brook, R. D., et al. (2010). Particulate matter air pollution and cardiovascular disease. Circulation, 121(21), 2331-2378.
Ding, D., et al. (2016). The economic burden of physical inactivity: a global analysis of major non-communicable diseases. The Lancet, 388(10051), 1311-1324.
Egger G. Defining a structure and methodology for the practice of lifestyle medicine. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2016.
Ekor, M. (2014). The growing use of herbal medicines: Issues relating to adverse reactions and challenges in monitoring safety. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 4, 177.
F. Hasanzade, M. Toliat, S.A. Emami, Z. Emamimoghaadam The effect of cinnamon on glucose of type II diabetes patients J Tradit Complement Med, 3 (3) (2013), pp. 171-174,
Fabricant, D. S., & Farnsworth, N. R. (2001). The value of plants used in traditional medicine for drug discovery. Environmental Health Perspectives, 109(1), 69-75.
Federico, A., Dallio, M., Loguercio, C. (2017). Silymarin/silybin and chronic liver disease: A marriage of many years. Molecules, 22(2), 191.
Geleijnse, J. M., Giltay, E. J., Grobbee, D. E., Donders, A. R. T., & Kok, F. J. (2002). Blood pressure response to fish oil supplementation: metaregression analysis of randomized trials. Journal of Hypertension, 20(8), 1493-1499.
H. El-Beshbishy, S. Bahashwan Hypoglycemic effect of basil (Ocimum basilicum) aqueous extract is mediated through inhibition of -glucosidase and -amylase activities: an in vitro study Toxicol Ind Health, 28 (1) (2012), pp. 42-50
H. Mohamed Sham Shihabudeen, D. Hansi Priscilla, K. Thirumurugan Cinnamon extract inhibits α-glucosidase activity and dampens postprandial glucose excursion in diabetic rats Nutr Metab (Lond), 8 (1) (2011), p. 46,
Hannan, J. M., et al. (2007). Soluble dietary fibre fraction of Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) seed improves glucose homeostasis in animal models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes by delaying carbohydrate digestion and absorption, and enhancing insulin action. British Journal of Nutrition, 97(3), 514-521.
Hou, L., Zhou, B., & Yang, L. (2016). Garlic intake and the risk of colorectal cancer: A meta-analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine, 167(1), 76-83.
Hursel, R., et al. (2011). The effects of green tea on weight loss and weight maintenance: a meta-analysis. International Journal of Obesity, 33(9), 956-961.
Hursel, R., Viechtbauer, W., Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S. (2009). The effects of green tea on weight loss and weight maintenance: a meta-analysis. International Journal of Obesity, 33(9), 956-961.
Izzo, A. A., & Ernst, E. (2009). Interactions between herbal medicines and prescribed drugs: An updated systematic review. Drugs, 69(13), 1777-1798.
J.M. Forbes, M.E. Cooper Mechanisms of diabetic complications Physiol Rev, 93 (1) (2013)
Kazazis, C. E., Evangelopoulos, A. A., Kollas, A., Vallianou, N. G. (2018). The therapeutic potential of milk thistle in diabetes. Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders, 19(4), 349-361.
Khalesi, S., Irwin, C., Schubert, M. (2015). Flaxseed consumption may reduce blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials. Journal of Nutrition, 145(4), 758-765.
Lamprecht, B., et al. (2016). COPD in never smokers: results from the population-based burden of obstructive lung disease study. Chest, 150(5), 1211-1221.
Leung, L., et al. (2009). Bitter melon (Momordica charantia): A review of efficacy and safety. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 66(3), 234-242.
Li, S., et al. (2016). Challenges in herbal medicine research. In S. Rahim (Ed.), Biologically Active Natural Products for the 21st Century (pp. 1-26). Elsevier.Nabavi, S. F., et al. (2015). Assessment of phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of root extracts of Brassica oleracea L. Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica, 72(1), 105-110
M.D. Gunawan-Puteri, E. Kato, J. Kawabata Α-Amylase inhibitors from an Indonesian medicinal herb, Phyllanthus urinaria J Sci Food Agric, 92 (3) (2012), pp. 606-609
M.Z. Gul, V. Attuluri, I.A. Qureshi, I.A. Ghazi Antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of Murraya koenigii leaf extracts Pharmacogn J, 4 (32) (2012), pp. 65-72
Malik, V. S., et al. (2013). Global obesity: trends, risk factors and policy implications. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 9(1), 13-27.
Marmot, M., et al. (2012). Social determinants of health and well-being among young people. Health Affairs, 31(3), 438-447.
Mashhadi, N. S., Ghiasvand, R., Askari, G., Hariri, M., Darvishi, L., & Mofid, M. R. (2013). Anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of ginger in health and physical activity: review of current evidence. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 4(Suppl 1), S36-S42.
Mozaffarian, D., et al. (2018). Global dietary risks: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet, 393(10184), 1958-1972.
Onakpoya, I., Hung, S. K., Perry, R., Wider, B., & Ernst, E. (2011). The use of Garcinia extract (hydroxycitric acid) as a weight loss supplement: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Journal of Obesity, 2011
Pan, A., Yu, D., Demark-Wahnefried, W., Franco, O. H., & Lin, X. (2009). Meta-analysis of the effects of flaxseed interventions on blood lipids. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 90(2), 288-297.
Pandey, M. M., & Rastogi, S. (2015). Role of Ayurveda in the management of diabetes mellitus: Key insight. International Journal of Herbal Medicine, 3(6), 1-7
Pittler, M. H., et al. (2003). Hawthorn extract for treating chronic heart failure: A meta-analysis of randomized trials. The American Journal of Medicine, 114(8), 665-674.
R. E., & Foster, S. (2008). Hawthorn extract for treating chronic heart failure. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 14(6), 464-465.
Rafehi, H., Ververis, K., Karagiannis, T. C. (2012). Controversies surrounding the clinical potential of cinnamon for the management of diabetes. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 14(6), 493-499
Rehm, J., et al. (2017). Global burden of disease and injury and economic cost attributable to alcohol use and alcohol-use disorders. The Lancet, 389(10083), 1453-1466.
Ried, K., Toben, C., & Fakler, P. (2017). Effect of garlic on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Maturitas, 65(2), 77-83.
Rooke J (Ed). Gobble J, Ballard T, Oglesby W, Guttrie G, Howard C, Newsam RJ. Lifestyle medicine standards task force. Lifestyle medicine standards. American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Rooney, A. G., et al. (2013). The prevalence of fatigue in patients with a primary brain tumour. Supportive Care in Cancer, 21(12), 3357-3366.
Springer.Akilen, R., et al. (2012). Glycated haemoglobin and blood pressure-lowering effect of cinnamon in multi-ethnic Type 2 diabetic patients in the UK: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Diabetic Medicine, 29(6), 758-767.
Surai, P. F. (2015). Silymarin as a natural antioxidant: An overview of the current evidence and perspectives. Antioxidants, 4(1), 204-247.
Vijayakumar, M. V., & Nalini, N. (2004). Effect of quercetin on erythrocyte integrity in high-fat diet-streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Cell Biochemistry and Function, 22(1), 9-15.
W. Li, G. Yuan, Y. Pan, C. Wang, H. Chen Network pharmacology studies on the bioactive compounds and action mechanisms of natural products for the treatment of diabetes mellitus: a review Front Pharmacol, 8 (2017), p. 74
Williamson, E. M. (2001). Synergy and other interactions in phytomedicines. Phytomedicine, 8(5), 401-409.World Health Organization. (2021). Noncommunicable diseases.
World Health Organization. (2018). Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
World Health Organization. (2021). Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).,
Yeh B, Kong D. The advent of lifestyle medicine. J Lifestyle Medicine 2013, 13(1), 1-8
View Dimensions
View Altmetric
Save
Citation
View
Share