Pune, March 17 :Trust the good old green leafies to come to the rescue. For millions of diabetics, hope comes in the form of fenugreek (methi) seeds. Scientists at the Pune-based National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) have prepared a novel formulation from extracts of fenugreek seeds that helps bring down the blood glucose level in the body and hence proves to be a boon for diabetic patients.

Scientists realized that to manage a chronic disease such as diabetes, it was pertinent to test the sustained lowering of blood glucose levels for a long period of time. Their research demonstrated the anti-diabetic potential of the formulation that remained effective for a longer period of time.

The encouraging results have now led a herbal medicine company, Indus Biotech, to venture into the field and take the same extract for a factory-level preparation. Dr Manoj Bhat, scientist at NCCS whose research on the “hypoglycemic effect of a novel dialysed fenugreek seeds extract is sustainable and is mediated, in part, by the activation of hepatic enzymes” is published in ‘Phytotherapy Research’ journal and the British Journal of Pharmacology. It says there is a great scope for plant-derived pharmaceuticals, which can work as an alternative to the current management of hypeglycemia. Diabetes mellitus is an alarming medical problem affecting more than 194 million people. Persisting diabetic conditions often lead to damage of blood vessels, increased risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, blindness, nerve damage, and in extreme situations, may even lead to amputations.

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