Role of Phytotherapy in Diabetes Treatment
The use of medicinal plants is considered strictly as an adjunctive method. The main prerequisite for prescribing herbal remedies is a mild course of the pathology. Herbal preparations are invariably included in the overall comprehensive treatment regimen.
The primary clinical value of this approach lies in the potential to decrease the daily dose of synthetic oral hypoglycemic medications, thereby reducing the pharmacological burden on the patient's body.
Main Herbal Remedies
The arsenal of remedies includes individual plants and multi-component herbal mixtures. The most prominent individual plant is the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), alongside specialized medicinal herbal mixtures.
A classic example of a combination remedy is the "Arfazetin" mixture, which has a strictly regulated composition and component proportions:
Composition and Proportions of the Arfazetin Mixture
The efficacy of the mixture is due to the synergistic action of its herbal ingredients, distributed in the following proportional ratios:
- 20% — Blueberry shoots (Vaccinium myrtillus);
- 20% — Common bean pod valves (Phaseolus vulgaris);
- 15% — Manchurian aralia root (Aralia mandshurica / substitution with prickly stalk-fruit rhizomes and roots is permitted);
- 15% — Rose hips (Rosa species);
- 10% — Field horsetail herb (Equisetum arvense);
- 10% — St. John's wort herb (Hypericum perforatum);
- 10% — German chamomile flowers (Matricaria chamomilla).
Dosage Regimen and Administration Rules
Infusions and decoctions are prepared at home following general phytotechnological rules. There is a clear protocol for the course administration of herbal remedies:
- Single dose: Taken orally 30 minutes before meals, 1/3 to 1/2 cup.
- Frequency: 2–3 times a day.
- Course duration: One treatment course lasts 20–30 days.
- Interval: After the course is completed, a 10–15 day break is taken, after which treatment is repeated.
- Annual frequency: It is recommended to conduct 3–4 such courses throughout the year.