The Effectiveness of Herbal Method of Treating Diabetes
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the study
To investigate the effectiveness of of herbal medicine among Diabetic patients.
- To document the types of herbal medicines used by the Diabetic patients.
- To identify factors that are associated with the use of Herbal Medicine among Diabetic patients
- To determine the prevalence of the use of Herbal Medicine among Diabetic patients.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Definition of Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a clinical syndrome characterized by hyperglycemia due to absolute or relative deficiency of insulin (Sukha and Rubin, 2007). Deficiency in insulin production by the pancreas or inability of the insulin produced to bind effectively to its receptor on the cell surface results to chronic hyperglycemia and the attendant metabolic disregulation may be associated with secondary damage in multiple organ systems, especially the .kidneys, eyes, nerves, and blood vessels (Virella et al., 2003). Insulin has several functions in the human body. In the liver insulin increases the storage of glucose as glycogen. This involves the insertion of additional GLUT2 glucose transport molecules in cell plasma membranes.
In the muscle, insulin stimulates glycogen and protein synthesis. Glucose transport into muscle cells is facilitated by insertion of additional GLUT4 transport molecules into cell plasma membrane. In adipose tissue, insulin facilitates triglyceride storage by activating plasma lipoprotein lipase, increasing glucose transport into cells via GLUT4 transporters and reducing intracellular lipolysis (Jagessar et al., 2015).
The primary symptoms are hyperglycemia and glucosuria, polyuria, polydipsia and polyphagia, sudden weight loss, ketonuria and ketonemia in acute episodes which results from inability to regulate glucose metabolism (Brownlee, 2001). In the later stage of diabetes, lipid metabolism is affected and is seen as hyperlipidemia and
hypercholesterolemia, a risk factor in atherosclerosis (Ross, 1999; Schwartz, 2006; WHO, 2006).
Insulin deficiency may arise in various ways such as destruction of β-cells of the pancreas, an organ responsible for the production of insulin (Leslie et al., 2008) and although the exact cause of the disease is uncertain, genetic and secondary predisposing factors contribute to the onset of the disease (Shafee et al., 2008). Any other abnormality in the glucose metabolism pathway may result in hyperglycemia.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Type of Study
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 203 diabetic patients at two diabetic clinics at Ga East district.
Sample Size Estimation
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS
Demographic Characteristics
The total number of 203 respondents was studied. Of the 203 patients who agreed to participate in the survey, all the 203 completed the questionnaire.
The background characteristics of the study sample are summarized in Table 1. The respondent comprised of 87.7% women and 12.3% men. The minimum age was 30 years and the highest age 90 years. The mean age was 61 years with a standard deviation of 12.4 years. Age group 60-69 was the age group with the highest representation. The age group with the lowest representation was the under 40-year group.
Of the total respondents, Christians were 84.2 %, Moslems were 15.3% and traditionalists were about 0.5%. Respondents that had the MSLC educational level were 25.6% and they happened to be the highest. Those with primary education level were 19.2%. Those with secondary education were 16.3%. About 5.4% of the respondents were single, 36.9% were married, 27.6% were separated, and 30% were widows. From the income distribution of the respondents, it was noted that 46.3% were unemployed
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION
Conclusions
This study set out to investigate the effectiveness of herbal medicine in treatment of diabetes. From the results it is noted that the use of herbal medicine in south-east is high, (66%). Dandelion and moringa are the most popular herbs. The level of diabetes, source of information, curability of diabetes and the complications of diabetes are the risk factors of diabetes. The patients are in search of a remedy to cure according to their beliefs, a dangerous illness that they expect to be cured. They therefore are in search for information from people they can trust (such as relatives and friends) to help them control or cure their diabetes. Doctors must therefore equip themselves with knowledge of the common herbal medicines and also remember to ask their patients whether or not they use herbal medicines.
The respondents were taking too many drugs at a time and were also combining orthodox medicine with herbal medicine. This study also emphasizes the importance of clinicians inquiring about their patients’ use of herbals/supplements, since knowledge of concurrent use of herbal and orthodox medicine can help identify patients at risk for potential interactions.
The study concludes that perception about severity (knowledge about the complications of diabetes and level of HPT), perception of susceptibility (belief that diabetes
is curable), perception of benefits and cost (Control of blood sugar level), and cues for action (Information from relatives) out of the five constructs of HBM can help predict whether a diabetic patients will take herbal medicine or not.
Recommendations
The Nigeria Health Service
The Nigeria Health Service should step up its health programs in educating the populate on diabetes. Health policy makers should realign the heath system to focus on the use of herbal medicine by diabetic patients, with emphasis on drug- interactions and side effects of herbal medicine.
Policies should be in place to help regulate the sale and marketing of herbal products. The Nigeria Health Service should collaborate with herbalist and herbal clinics to see how best they can work together to manage diabetes.
Physicians should ask their patients whether they take herbal medicine. They should make their patients comfortable enough to ask their physicians questions about their health. All public hospitals and clinics should run diabetic clinics that disseminate the right knowledge about herbal medicine, and to give adequate health care to their patients.
The Enugu ministry of Health should collaborate with the media, religious bodies, market women and cooperate bodies as channels of education on the use herbal medicines, its side effects, possible drug interactions and diabetes.
The Directorate should also arrange with the radio stations to negotiate for a fixed time during which education on herbal medicine use and diabetes can be discussed.
There should be regular evaluation and monitoring of the medical doctors running the clinics to see whether the proper management of the diabetic patients is being done.
diabetic patients
diabetic patients should inform their physicians about the herbal medicines they use to manage their diabetes. They should ask their physicians question about diabetes the medications they use.
Research
It is recommended that more studies should be done to find out why the diabetic patients are not having their blood pressure controlled despite their regular attendance at the diabetes clinic.
More research should also be done to ascertain the effect of dandelion and moringa on diabetes and possible herbal-drug interactions.
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