Dietary patterns in Unani medicine: An integrative approach for managing diabetes mellitus: A comprehensive review

Abstract

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease caused by the inability of the pancreas to produce enough insulin or the body's inability to use it effectively. It is influenced by daily changes in nutrition, excretion, stress and infection. It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Diabetes can be classified into three broad types: Type 1, Type 2 and gestational. The prevalence of diabetes is estimated to increase from 171 million in 2000 to 528 million in 2035. In the Unani System of Medicine, diabetes is a chronic condition characterized by a vicious cycle of water intake and excretion, often referred to as Dawwarah and Barkarriyaah, Silsil-Al-Baul, Zalaqul-kulliyah, Marz-e-Majari, and Zalaq-e-Kulliya. Various Unani physicians have described diabetes in their literature, Diabetes can be managed by certain diet and several herbal drugs in the unani system of medicine. The present review presents a brief introduction focusing on common single herbal drugs having hypoglycaemic activity used for the treatment and control of Diabetes in unani medicine throughout the Indian Subcontinent.