European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

ASPARAGUS RACEMOSUS, BERBERIS ARISTATA: ANTI DIABETIC PLANTS BEING USED IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINES OF SIKKIM (INDIA)

Tanaya Ghosh and Prasanta Kumar Mitra*

ABSTRACT

In one survey study the World Health Organization showed that about 80% of the world population are using medicinal plants as medicines for their primary healthcare. People use medicinal plants as drugs due to easy access, less cost, least side effects and above all natural. Currently about 20,000 plants are being used for treatment of different diseases. One such disease is diabetes. In many parts of the world people take medicinal plants in the form of traditional medicine to keep diabetes under control. In Sikkim (India) also lot of diabetics especially village dwellers use medicinal plants in diabetes through traditional medicine. In this article efforts were taken to discuss such two medicinal plants (Asparagus racemosus and Berberis aristata) in terms of their botanical description, vernacular names, classification, traditional use specially in Sikkim, content of bioactive compounds, pharmacological properties and above all anti-diabetic activity.

Keywords: Diabetes, traditional medicine, use of medicinal plants, Asparagus racemosus, Berberis aristata.