HISTORY, ORAL HYPOGLYCEMIC DRUGS AND PLANT ALTERNATIVES RELATED TO DIABETES MELLITUS: A REVIEW

Lekhana A. R.*, Palaksha M. N, Mamatha B. S and Nandini K.N.

ABSTRACT

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease which is characterized by hyperglycaemia, hyper aminoacidemia and hypoinsulinemia this leads to decrease in insulin secretion and insulin action. Diabetes mellitus were described 3000 years ago by the ancient Egyptians. Oral hypoglycemic agents are used to treat diabetes mellitus and also some of the traditional medicines are used as an alternative to treat diabetes mellitus. The modern era in the history of diabetes mellitus is rediscovered by Thomas Willis in1675 of sweetness urine of the diabetic patients. In 1946, Loubatieres demonstrated experimentally that the sulphonamides group was responsible for the hypoglycemic action.

Keywords: Diabetes, History.