The efficacy of folk medicines in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus: results of a randomized controlled trial of Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether a tea prepared from leaves of jambolan, Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels, has an antihyperglycaemic effect in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were enrolled in a double-blind, double-dummy, randomized clinical trial. The three experimental groups received a tea prepared from leaves of S. cumini plus placebo tablets, placebo tea plus glyburide tablets or placebo tea plus placebo tablets.

RESULTS

In total, 27 patients were allocated to one of the treatment groups and followed for 28 days. Fasting blood glucose levels decreased significantly with glyburide and did not change with S. cumini tea or placebo. Body mass index, creatinine, gamma-glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase (SGOT), alanine aminotransferase (SGPT), 24-h glicosuria, 24-h proteinuria, triglycerides, total, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol did not vary significantly between the different groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Tea prepared from leaves of S. cumini has no hypoglycaemic effect.