Study finds ayurvedic drug BGR-34 effective in diabetes management

By Rahul Chhabra

In a boost to Indian’s traditional medicine therapies, a study has shown that ayurvedic drug BGR-34 can help lower blood sugar level within 12 weeks as well as exert a powerful anti-oxidant action to prevent diabetic complications, a finding that is being described as promising when compared with results of allopathic drugs.

The study conducted by researchers from Chitkara University, Punjab, was published in the latest edition of Serbian Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research on Sciendo scientific platform. The findings indicate that ayurvedic drug BGR-34 is effective in diabetes treatment, better in efficacy, reliability and affordability with little or no adverse effects.

The outcome of the research, carried out by a group headed by Ravinder Singh, comes as a welcome news for the Narendra Modi government that has turned its focus on optimal use of ayurveda drugs for prevention and treatment of the chronic diseases like diabetes which are rising due to sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits.

With over 77 million adults suffering from high blood sugar level, India is known as the diabetes capital of the world. The number is expected to shoot up to 134 million by 2045. According to WHO, diabetes is considered as one of the major causes of aliments like kidney failure, cardiac arrest, blindness, lower-limb amputation and stroke.

The research group headed by Ravinder Singh held Phase IV clinical trials for 12 weeks on 100 diabetic patients who were divided into two groups. The subjects from one group were given allopathic drug, Sitagliptin, while the other group was given ayurvedic drug, BGR-34 without informing them about the medicines, in the double blind study.

The outcomes were examined by the team on various parameters which included HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin), RBS (random blood sugar), FBS (fasting blood sugar) and PPG (postprandial glucose) values. The ayurvedic drug showed promising results as the researchers found that glyclated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level in diabetic patients who were given BGR-34 went down significantly from the baseline value 8.499% to 8.061% in the fourth week, 6.56% in eighth week and 6.27% in 12th week. Random blood sugar tests revealed that before taking the herbal drug, the sugar level which, on an average, was 250mg/dl declined to 114mg/dl in the 12th week. The fasting blood sugar level sharply went down to 74 from 176 during the same period.

The study said, “It can be concluded that BGR-34 is effective in reducing high blood sugar levels and is more potent and efficacious in decreasing the glycemic levels possibly by modulating the insulin release and strengthening the β-cell functional capacity.”

BGR-34 ayurvedic formulation has been developed by scientists from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s labs—National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), and is marketed by AIMIL Pharmaceuticals.

AIMIL Pharmaceuticals Executive Director Dr Sanchit Sharma said that BGR-34’s efficacy is largely due to the presence of herbs like Giloy, Vijyasar, Dharuharida and Manjistha, besides phyto-constituents from a few other medicinal plants which are well-known for their anti-diabetic properties.

Chitkara University researchers said the better efficacy of BGR-34 could be due to its several nutritive phytoconstituents and antioxidants which protect β-cells from damage and help them regenerate.