Aloe vera leaf gel in treatment of advanced type 2 diabetes mellitus needing insulin therapy: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial

Advanced type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM] needing insulin therapy is a common disease. Previous studies indicate that aloe [Aloe vera L.] leaf gel may positively affect the blood glucose and lipid levels in patients with advanced T2DM needing insulin. Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of aloe leaf gel in the treatment of type 2 diabetic patients resistant to oral synthetic anti-hyperglycemic drugs needing insulin. In this randomized double - blind placebo-controlled clinical trial with the patients aged 40-60 years, the efficacy and safety of taking aloe leaf gel [one 300 mg capsule every 12 hours for 2 months] combined with oral synthetic anti-hyperglycemic drugs in treatment of 35 patients were evaluated and compared with the placebo group [n = 35]. The aloe leaf gel lowered the blood levels of fasting glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin significantly [p = 0.041 and p = 0.023 respectively] without any significant effects on the lipid profile and liver/kidney function tests [p > 0.05] compared with placebo at the endpoint. No adverse effects were reported. The results suggest that aloe leaf gel may safely improve glycemic control in patients with advanced T2DM needing insulin

Investigation of the hypoglycemic effect of tribulus terrestris extract on diabetic rats

Tribulus terrestris L. is a traditional herbal medicine used for treatment of hypertension, urinary tract inflammation, kidney and bladder stones. The present study was to evaluate the effect of different doses of Tribulus terrestris [T.T.] fruit extract on rat blood glucose at acute and chronic phases compered with glibenclamide as the standard hypoglycemic drug. 60 wistar male rats with 200-250 gr weight were selected and caged in same environmental condition. Diabetes was induced by 50mg/kg streptozocin intraperitoneal [ip] injection. After 15 days the rats with fasting blood sugar [FBS] above 200mg/dl were selected and divided into 10 groups of 6 rats each. The T.T. fruit extract in doses of 15, 30, 60, 150, 250, 500, 750, 1000 mg/kg for acute phase and 500, 750, 1000 mg/kg for chronic phase were selected for ip injected. FBG and 2 hour post prandial blood sugar [2hrPPBS] were determined every 20 days during 2 month of the study and fasting blood insulin were determined at the end of the study. The results of this study indicate that in 750 and l000mg/kg doses of T.T. fruit extract groups FBS and 2hrPPBS reduced significantly [p=0.000] compere to glibenclamide group. T.T. fruit extract at the doses of 750 and l000mg/kg has antihyperglycemic effect in diabetic rats