Health benefits and Medicinal value of serukurunjan

Gymnema (Gymnema Sylvestre) is native to the tropical forests of central and southern India. Nearly for two millennia, Indians using it as a natural diabetes treatment, they nicknamed it as a destroyer of sugar. Additionally, it reduces the taste of sugar. Thus you can use it for fighting sugar cravings.

It supports the pancreas in insulin production in type 2 diabetes. It improves the ability of insulin in lowering glucose level in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Additionally, it decreases cravings for sweet. It is a substitute for oral blood-sugar-lowering drugs in type 2 diabetes.

Other common names for Gymnema are Gokhru (Unani), Gurmar (Hindi), Meshashringi (Sanskrit), Sirukurinjan (Tamil), Vishani (Sanskrit).

Gymnema lower sugar level

The hypoglycemic action of Gymnema leaves slow in nature; instead, the prescribed hypoglycemic drugs have the rapid effect. It raises insulin production by regeneration of the pancreas cells. It improves glucose uptake by the cells by increasing the activity of the glucose utilizing enzymes and stops adrenaline from stimulating the liver to produce extra glucose, thereby controlling blood-sugar levels.

Gymnema leaves can be additionally useful in lowering serum cholesterol and triglycerides. It also reduces the taste of sugar and craving for sweets. The leaf extracts contain gymnemic acid, which inhibits hyperglycemia and acts as a cardiovascular stimulant.

11 Medicinal Uses of Gymnema

Therapeutic benefits of Gymnema Sylvestre are:

1. Destroys diabetes - It has been in use for thousands of years as an herbal treatment for diabetes. It can block the absorption of glucose from the intestines and helps to reduce cravings for sugar. Chewing the leaves or taking capsule can alter the taste of sugar and reduce the sweetness.
2. Lower blood pressure - It has a slight diuretic effect, useful to treat water retention and may help lower blood pressure.
3. Drops cholesterol level - It may reduce the number of triglycerides and LDL (bad cholesterol) in the bloodstream, thus risk towards cardiac problems in reduced.
4. Reduce cardiac risk - It is also used to refresh the cardiac activities and circulate blood.
5. Improves digestion - It is useful to treat stomach ailments. The extract is also used to kill the worms. It is useful as an appetizer. It gives comfort in colic pain and cures dropsy.
6. Liver Tonic - This is also useful for the treatment of jaundice. The plant extract is useful as a liver tonic.
7. Increased energy - It reduces fat storage from carbohydrates and increases the amount burned for energy. It leads to a reduction in fat stores and increases in energy available.
8. Weight loss - It has also suggested for herbal weight loss applications.
9. Treat rheumatoid arthritis & gout – it is effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis and gout.
10. Antimicrobial - It also has antibacterial and antiviral properties in liquid applications.
11. Treat respiratory infection - It is useful in the treatment of phlegm and other respiratory infections.