Praktické lekárnictvo 2/2023

Gymnema sylvestre: a potential plant in the treatment of obesity and diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus and obesity currently treat a large part of the Slovak population. Annually, numerous, and in many cases, premature deaths are associated with these diseases. It can be sadly stated that Slovakia is one of the European countries with the highest incidence of obesity. In conventional therapy, a non-pharmacological approach (adjustment of lifestyle and eating habits, lots of exercise, etc.) is preferred, which is demanding and requires discipline and strong will. Patients often search for natural products from which they expect “miracles”. Could Gymnema sylvestre, whose research began in the 19th century, be such a plant? This work provides a brief overview of facts from gymnema research.

Keywords: gymnema sylvestre, gymnemic acids, gurmarin, obesity, diabetes