ArticleBMC complementary medicine and therapies2020
Herbal medicine from the perspective of type II diabetic patients and physicians: what is the relationship?
Article in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The efficacy and safety of herbal medicines for glycaemic control and insulin resistance in individuals with type 2 diabetes: an umbrella review.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2025Pooled it
- Trial
- Lived Experiences of Long COVID in Iranian Immigrants in Canada: Implications for Post-Infection Care and Global Health Equity.Iranian journal of medical sciences · 2026Article
- Use of herbal products by diabetic patients in coping with health problems: a cross-sectional study from Turkey.Internal and emergency medicine · 2025Article
- The prevalence of herbal medicine use and related factors among diabetic patients in Tabriz, Iran, 2023: a cross-sectional study.Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders · 2025Article
- Article
- Enhancing glycaemic control and promoting cardiovascular health: the therapeutic potential ofAnnals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2024Article
- Review
- Knowledge levels of doctors and nurses working in surgical clinics about nutrients and food supplements, a multicentre descriptive study.BMC nursing · 2024Article
- Views of healthcare professionals on complementary and alternative medicine use by patients with diabetes: a qualitative study.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2024Article
- Ethical considerations in the regulation and use of herbal medicines in the European Union.Frontiers in medical technology · 2024Review
- Article
- A comparative analysis of complementary therapies use among patients attending diabetic clinics in Taiwan: 2007 vs. 2023.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2023Article
- Perception of herbs use in treating diabetes among patients attending specialized polyclinics of National Guard Health Affairs, Jeddah.Journal of family medicine and primary care · 2023Article
- Article
- Evidence-Based Anti-Diabetic Properties of Plant from the Occitan Valleys of the Piedmont Alps.Pharmaceutics · 2022Review
- Effects ofIranian journal of basic medical sciences · 2022Review
- Functional Yogurt Fortified with Honey Produced by Feeding Bees Natural Plant Extracts for Controlling Human Blood Sugar Level.Plants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Assessment of Knowledge about Traditional Medicine Reveals Overuse as a Potential Risk for Aggravating COVID-19 and Underlying Diseases in Geriatrics and Women's Health in the Saudi Population.Clinics and practice · 2022Article
- Antidiabetic Activity of Hydromethanolic Extract of CrudeJournal of experimental pharmacology · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
backgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) is a major public health problem and one of the most challenging diseases worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has the second highest rate of diabetes in the Middle East and seventh highest globally. Some diabetic patients may prefer to use alternative approaches such as herbal remedies to control their blood glucose level and this study aims to assess the prevalence of herbal usage and to evaluate users' and doctors' knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about herbal medicine as well as the patient/doctor relationship in this regard.
methodA cross-sectional survey was conducted in several hospitals and medical centres in Makkah, KSA, between January and March 2019. Around 289 type II diabetic patients and 105 doctors were interviewed.
resultsWe found that 68% of the participants were frequent consumers of herbal remedies, especially cinnamon, ginger and fenugreek. Patients' knowledge of herbal usage was mainly gleaned from family and friends as well as social media, and we found that many (71.4%) did not bother to consult or inform their doctors about their choice to self-medicate with herbs. Patients had no concerns regarding the efficacy and safety of herbal usage use in diabetes, as around half of the participants believe that herbal medicine is effective (54%) and safe (46%) for treating symptoms of diabetes. Two-thirds of the doctors (66%) routinely ask patients whether they use herbs for their condition. Although 25% of the doctors took a positive view of herbal medicine in relation to diabetes, others expressed concerns with the rise in herb use and want to see more attention paid to safety aspects.
conclusionThe study concludes that herbal remedies are commonly used by diabetic patients and that a gap exists in the relationship between patients and doctors concerning the disclosure of herbal remedy use and views on its safety.
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