Gymnema sylvestre is a woody climbing plant native to parts of Asia, Africa, and Australia that has traditionally been used in Ayurvedic medicine. It contains gymnemic acids and other bioactive components that help control blood sugar levels. Studies show that Gymnema supplements can lower blood glucose and A1C levels in people with diabetes when taken at doses of 10g per day or 200mg of extract per day. It may also help reduce lipids, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Chewing the leaves can decrease the sensation of sweetness. Gymnema appears to be very safe for adults when taken as recommended and may help support blood glucose homeostasis.

1. Benefits of Gymnema

2. ! Gymnema, Gymnema Sylvestre is a
medicinal plant, popularly known as
“gurmar” in Hindi, which means
“sugar destroying” .
! It is a woody climbing plant native
to central/ southern India, Africa,
Vietnam, Japan and Australia.
! Other common names are
Cowplant, or Miracle Fruit.

3. ! The Gymnema leaves contain bioactive
components of a group of saponins
called gymnemic acid.
! Other significant constituents include
parabin, glucose and carbohydrates.

4. ! Gymnema has been an important
herb in traditional Ayurvedic
medicine for centuries.
! Its uses has been primarily to the
management of diabetes, upper
respiratory infections, and fevers.
! The saponins can aid with stomach
ailments, constipation, water
retention and liver disease.

5. ! Gymnema also helps reduce the amount
of lipids in your bloodstream and
possesses anti-atherosclerotic action.
! Other methods include reducing serum
triglycerides, total cholesterol, very-low-
density lipoproteins (VLDL) and low-
density lipoprotein (LDL).
! Chewing the leaves, rinsing the mouth
with water, or topical application to the
tongue may selectively inhibit the
sensation of sweetness.

6. ! As early as 1980s, researchers have started to study the anti-
diabetic effects of Gymnema sylvestre leaf extracts.
! Studies have shown Gymnema powder to effective in
lowering blood sugar when given 10g/day for seven days.
! Other studies shows that administration of 200 mg/d of G.
Sylvestre extract decreased the required insulin dose by 50%
and lowered A1C in both type 1 and type 2 Diabetes by 18 to
20 months.
! Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract appears to have the benefits
on supporting blood glucose homeostasis of diabetic rats
through increased serum insulin levels via repair or
regeneration of the endocrine pancreas.

7. ! There is little indication of toxicity and contraindications
for the use of Gymnema.
! This herb has been deemed very safe for adults when taken
in recommended doses.
! It has also been suggested that this herb may reduce the
amount of triglycerides and LDLs, “bad cholesterol”, in
the bloodstream.
! Chewing the leaves, or even taking capsule form, can alter
the taste of sugar when ingested and reduce the sweetness.
! The most common dosage for blood sugar control is 400 to
600 mg when taken with food.

8. ! Bone, K. (2003). A clinical guide to blending liquid herbs: Herbal formulations for the
Individual patient. St. Louis, MO: Churchill Livingstone.
! Gymnema Uses, Benefits & Side Effects - Drugs.com Herbal Database. (n.d.). Retrieved
November 12, 2016, from https://www.drugs.com/npc/gymnema.html
! Gymnema. (2016.). Retrieved November 12, 2016, from
https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/databases/food,-herbs-
supplements/professional.aspx?productid=841
! Hyman, M. (2012). The Blood Sugar Solution. New York, NY Hachette.
! Martínez-Abundis, E., Villar, M. M., Pérez-Rubio, K. G., Zuñiga, L. Y., Cortez-
Navarrete, M., Ramírez-Rodriguez, A., & González-Ortiz, M. (2016). Novel
nutraceutic therapies for the treatment of metabolic syndrome. World Journal of
Diabetes WJD, 7(7), 142. doi:10.4239/wjd.v7.i7.142
! Petersen, D. (2016) Dynamic Phytotherapy Homeobotanical Materia Medica: Module
Portland OR: American College of Healthcare Sciences.

9. THANK YOU !