The effectiveness of GS4 an extract from the leaves of Gymnema sylvestre, in controlling hyperglycaemia was investigated in 22 Type 2 diabetic patients on conventional oral anti-hyperglycaemic agents. GS4 (400 mglday) was administered for 18-20 months as a supplement to the conventional oral drugs. During GS4 supplementation, the patients showed a significant reduction in blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin and glycosylated plasma proteins, and conventional drug dosage could be decreased. Five of the 22 diabetic patients were able to discontinue their conventional drug and maintain their blood glucose homeostasis with GS4 alone. These data suggest that the beta cells may be regenerated repaired in Type 2 diabetic patients on G4S, supplementation. This is supported by the appearance of raised insulin levels in the serum of patients after GS4, supplementation.
Discussion (partial) : The above results confirm that GS4 supplementation to Type 2 diabetic patients appears to have an advantage over conventional drug therapy alone, in reducing hyperlipaemia and may possibly delay the lipid-mediated secondary complications of atherosclerosis. Pirart (1977) and Tchobroutsky (1978) have reported that there is indirect evidence for the possible association between the duration and the severity of hyperglycaemia and the risk of developing such complications. Hyperglycaemia, hyperlipaemia and excessive glycosylation of proteins, including haemoglobin, which are the direct consequences of insulin insufficiency in Type 2 diabetes, appear to be corrected by GS4 therapy, by augmenting insulin levels in circulation. Longer periods of GS4 therapy and better follow up of patients are needed.
Antidiabetic Effect Of A Leaf Extract From G Ymnema Sylvestre In Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Patients - Journal of Ethnophannncoloqq, 30 (1990) 295-305, K. Baskaran, B. Kizar Ahamath, K. Radha Shanmugasundaram And E.R.B. Shanmugasundaram

Abstract : The hexane extract of leaves of Gymnema sylvestre was evaluated for its anti-obesity activity in the simplified high fed cafeteria diet induced obesity in Sprague dawley rats. Group-I (normal control) were fed on only basal diet without any treatment, Group-II (obesity control) were induced obesity and only on basal diet without any treatment, Group-III and Group IV were induced obesity and treated with hexane fraction of Gymnema sylvestre (150 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg body weight) respectively. Group V were induced obesity and treated with Atorvastatin as a standard drug. A significant (P>0.001) reduce in increased body weight, temperature due to obesity was observed after 45th day of treatment as compared to the normal and standard group. The extract also improved the cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and HDL level. Blood samples were collected from retro-orbital plexus. Observed data was found statistically significant in reduction of extract-treated obesity rats.
The effect of the extract was comparable to that of standard drug Atorvastatin (50mg/kg body weight).
Keywords: Hexane extract, cholesterol, triglyceride, obesity, Gymnema sylvestre, atorvastatin
Antiobesity effect of hexane extract of gymnema in high cafeteria diet induced obesity rats. Study published in international research journal of Pharmacie, available on www.irjonline.com, Kaushik Manish, Kaushik Aditi, Arya Renu, Singh Gajraj and Malik Poonam

GS, a water-soluble extract of the leaves of Gymnema sylvestre, was administered (400 mglday) to 27 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) on insulin therapy. Insulin requirements came down together with fasting blood glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbAlc) and glycosylated plasma protein levels. While serum lipids returned to near normal levels with GS, therapy, glycosylated haemoglobin and glycosylated plasma protein levels remained higher than controls. IDDM patients on insulin therapy only showed no significant reduction in serum lipids, HbAlc or glycosylated plasma proteins when followed up after 10-12 months. GS therapy appears to enhance endogenous insulin, possibly by regeneration / revitalisation of the residual beta cells in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
Use of Gymnema Sylvestre Leaf Extract In The Control of Blood Glucose In Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus - Jounal of Ethnopharnzacology, 30 (1990) 281- 294, E.R.B. Shanmugasundaram, G. Rajeswaria, K. Baskarana, B.R. Rajesh Kumar, K. Radha Shanmugasundaram and B. Kizar Ahhlathb

Objective: Obesity plays a central role in the insulin resistance syndrome, which is associated with hyperinsulinemia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The present study was done to assess the effect of Gymnema sylvestre extract (GSE) in the high fat diet (HFD)-induced cellular obesity and cardiac damage in Wistar rats.
Materials and Methods: Adult male Wistar rats (150–200 g body weight) were used in this study. HFD was used to induce obesity. Body mass index, hemodynamic parameters, serum leptin, insulin, glucose, lipids, apolipoprotein levels, myocardial apoptosis, and antioxidant enzymes were assessed. Organ and visceral fat pad weights and histopathological studies were also carried out.
Results: Oral feeding of HFD (20 g/day) for a period of 28 days resulted in a significant increase in body mass index, organ weights, visceral fat pad weight, cardiac caspase-3, cardiac DNA laddering (indicating apoptotic inter-nucleosomal DNA fragment), and lipid peroxide levels of cardiac tissues of rats. Further, mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, serum leptin, insulin, LDH, LDL-C, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein-B levels were enhanced significantly, whereas serum HDL-C, apoliporotein-A1 levels, and cardiac Na+ K+ ATPase, antioxidant enzymes levels were significantly decreased. Furthermore, treatment with standardized ethanolic GSE (200 m/kg/p.o.) for a period of 28 days resulted in significant reversal of above mentioned changes in the obese Wistar rats.
Conclusion: The present study has demonstrated the significant antiobesity potential of GSE in murine model of obesity.
Evaluation of antiobesity and cardioprotective effect of Gymnema sylvestre extract in murine model. Available on ijponline.com, Vinay Kumar, Uma Bhandari, Chakra Dhar Tripathi, Geetika Khanna, Indian Journal of Pharmacology, October 2012, Vol 44, Issue 5 607

Abstract : Obesity is associated with numerous co-morbidities such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and others. Therefore, the present study was planned to investigate the effect of water- soluble fraction of Gymnema sylvestre ethanol extract on biochemical and molecular alterations in obese diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by single i.v. injection of streptozotocin (45 mg/kg) via tail vein. Obesity was induced by oral feeding of high fat diet for a period of 28 days in diabetic rats. Body weight gain, food intake, water intake, hemodynamic parameters (systolic, diastolic, mean arterial blood pressures and heart rate), serum biochemical parameters (leptin, insulin, lipid levels, apolipoprotein B and glucose), cardiomyocyte apoptosis (cardiac caspase-3, Na+/K+ ATPase activity and DNA fragmentation) organs and visceral fat pad weight and oxidative stress parameters were measured. Oral treatment with water soluble fraction of Gymnema sylvestre ethanol extracts (120 mg/kg/p.o.) for a period of 21 days, resulted in significant reduction in heart rate, mean arterial pressure, serum leptin, insulin, apolipoprotein B, lipids, glucose, cardiac caspase-3 levels, Na+/K+ ATPase activity and DNA laddering, visceral fat pad and organ’s weight and improved the antioxidant enzymes levels in the high fat diet induced obesity in diabetic rats. The results of present study reveal that water soluble fraction of Gymnema sylvestre ethanol extract could be useful intervention in the treatment of obesity and type-2 diabetes mellitus.
Key words: Gymnema sylvestre, leptin, insulin, blood pressure, caspase-3, dyslipidemia
In conclusion : The results of the present study confirm that water soluble fraction of G. sylvestre ethanol extract effectively alleviates the deleterious effects produced by HFD in diabetic rats. The possible mechanism of water soluble fraction of Gymnema sylvestre ethanol extract for antiobesity activity is due to the reduction of serum leptin, insulin, hyperlidemia and oxidative stress in HFD fed diabetic rats. Further, G. sylvestre ethanol extract offers cardiac protection by decreasing cardiac caspase-3 levels, Na+/K+ ATPase activity, DNA laddering, oxidative stress, and maintaining normal architecture of myocardium. The present study supports the potential of G. sylvestre in diaobesity disorder.
Protective effect of Gymnema sylvestre ethanol extract on high fat diet induced obese diabetic wistar rats. V. Kumar, Uma Bhandari, C. D. Tripathi and Geetika Khanna, Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, July - August 2014

The prevalence of obesity is associated with many health-related problems. Currently, more than 300 million people are considered to be obese. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2030, 87 and 439 million peoplewill be affected in India and the world, respectively. Today, herbal medicines are gaining interest in the treatment of obesity and diabetes, becauseof their minimal side effects.Gymnemicacid – an active component isolated from Gymnema sylvestre – has anti-obesity and antidiabetic properties, decreases body weight and also inhibits glucose absorption. Several components extracted from Gymnema prevent the accumulation of triglycerides in muscle and liver, and also decrease fatty acid accumulation in the circulation. In this paper, an attempt has been made to review the effects of various extracts from Gymnema sylvestre in the regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in both animal and clinical studies.
A systematic review of Gymnema sylvestre in obesity and diabetes management, Ramesh Pothuraju, Raj Kumar Sharma, Jayasimha Chagalamarri, Surender, Jangra and Praveen Kumar Kavadi, J Sci Food Agric 2014; 94: 834–840

Gymnema sylvestre (Asclepiadaceae), popularly known as “gurmar” for its distinct property as sugar destroyer, is a reputed herb in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. The phyto constituents responsible for sweet suppression activity includes triterpene saponins known as gymnemic acids, gymnemasaponins, and a polypeptide, gurmarin. The herb exhibits a broad range of therapeutic effects as an effective natural remedy for diabetes, besides being used for arthritis, diuretic, anemia, osteoporosis, hypercholesterolemia, cardiopathy, asthma, constipation, microbial infections, indigestion, and anti-inflammatory. G. sylvestre has good prospects in the treatment of diabetes as it shows positive effects on blood sugar homeostasis, controls sugar cravings, and promotes regeneration of pancreas. The herbal extract is used in dietary supplements since it reduces body weight, blood cholesterol, and triglyceride levels and holds great prospects in dietary as well as pharmacological applications.
Phytochemical and Pharmacological Properties of Gymnema sylvestre: An Important Medicinal Plant. Pragya Tiwari, B. N. Mishra, and Neelam S. Sangwan.