Hypoglycemic Property of Ginger and Green Tea and their Possible Mechanisms in Diabetes Mellitus

ABSTRACT

Diabetes mellitus disease is increasing rapidly and the incidences in 2010 were about 285 million people worldwide. This is projected to increase to 438 million in 2030. The conventionally used drugs possess many side effects. In addition, the cost of modern antidiabetic drugs is beyond the reach of most people with a low income. Because of this, the need for alternatives that are effective, cheap, and safe is very common.

Plants and many plant derived preparations have long been used as traditional remedies for the treatment of diabetes in many parts of the world. Recently, ginger (Zingiber officinale) and green tea (Camellia sinensis) have been widely studied to assess their beneficial effects in treatment and prevention of diabetes mellitus. In vitro and in vivo studies evidenced the potential of ginger and green tea to normalize blood glucose level in diabetes mellitus. In this article we reviewed the various mechanisms through which ginger and green tea exert their hypoglycemic effect. Their pharmacokinetics and safety were also discussed. Results from previous studies revealed that ginger and green tea share some mechanisms of action to reduce blood glucose level in diabetes mellitus. Pharmacokinetics studies provided ample information about their absorption, distribution, and metabolism. Toxicological data exhibited their safety as complementary antidiabetic agents; therefore, a study on the administration of these two herbs simultaneously may be needed as they may exhibit a potential hypoglycemic action due to their synergistic or additive mechanisms of action in diabetes mellitus.

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