An Overview of Complementary Therapies for Effective Diabetes Management

Diabetes mellitus is a global health concern resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Till today there is no known cure available for the condition. The extended treatment schedule, unfavorable side effects of commercially available oral hypoglycemic medications, and heavy financial burden, enable patients towards exploring other forms of treatment. The integration of Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) into treatment and management plans for diseases such as diabetes has grown in popularity in recent years. This form of medicine has been used for centuries and has been demonstrated to be effective when used in combination with more traditional therapies. However, there is limited evidence that CAM therapies can be disruptive to the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of medications or that they are ineffective. In this study primary focus has been given to summarize the effects of some of the common complementary alternative medicines and associated therapies in treatment and management of diabetes along with their possible mechanisms.