title: Use of household ingredients as complementary medicines for perceived hypoglycemic benefit among Sri Lankan diabetic patients; a cross-sectional survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Biologic based therapies are frequently used as complementary medicines in diabetes. The aim of this study was to identify the commonly used herbal remedies and their preparations in Sri Lankan patients with Type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study on 220 diabetic patients using herbal remedies for perceived glycemic benefit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the patients used their regular conventional medications together with herbal remedies. The most commonly used medication was metformin (91.4%). Ivy gourd (Coccinia grandis) was the most commonly used herbal remedy (32%), followed by crepe ginger (Costus speciosus) (25%) and bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) (20%). Herbal remedies used less frequently were finger millet (Eleusine corocana) (5%), anguna leaves (Wattakaka volubilis) (5%), goat weed (Scoparia dulcis) (4%), Salacia reticulata (4%), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) (3%) and tree turmeric (Coscinium fenestratum) (0.5%). None of the patients used commercially available over-the-counter herbal products. The common preparations were salads (72.8%), curries (12.8%), herbal tea (6%), and herbal porridges (6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The practice of using household ingredients as complementary medicines is common in Sri Lanka. Few herbal remedies and their methods of preparation have limited evidence for efficacy. In view of the frequent use by diabetic patients each needs to be documented for reference and scientifically explored about their hypoglycemic potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Arjuna Bandara
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Medagama
authors.affiliation: Registrar, Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Danusha
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Senadhira
keywords: Bitter gourd; Type 2 diabetes; complementary medicine; crepe ginger; ivy gourd