Palestinian Herbal Plant Increases glucose disposal by skeletal muscle cell line

Diabetes has been recognized since ancient times, and its main symptoms were known by the increased thirst, frequent urination, and tiredness experienced by diabetics (Said et al., 2008). Two main types of diabetes are known: type I, an auto-immune disease results in extensive destruction of the insulin-producing cells, and type II also known as diabetes mellitus, leads to high blood glucose levels due to defects in insulin action (known as Insulin Resistance), excessive hepatic glucose production and eventually decreases insulin secretion. There are several types of glucose-lowering drugs (Modi, 2007), including insulin sensitizers (biguanides, metformin, thiazolidinediones), insulin secretagogues (sulfonylureas, meglitinides) and α-glucosidase inhibitors (miglitol, acarbose). Most glucose-lowering drugs, however, may have side effects, such as severe hypoglycemia, idiosyncratic liver cell injury, lactic acidosis, permanent neurological deficit, digestive discomfort, headache and dizziness (Neustadt and Pieczenik, 2008). Hence, it is crucial to search for new drugs that would potentially have no or less side effects. Hypoglycemic herbs are widely used as non-prescription treatment for diabetes (mainly type II) (Saad et al., 2005; Saad et al., 2008; Said et al., 2008). For instance, Palestinian herbs have been used for hundreds of years either in their crude forms or as herbal teas, syrups, and powders in treatment and prevention of diverse diseases including diabetes. However, Palestinian anti-diabetic herbal-based preparations are not well characterized and there efficacies as well as their potential side effects are not demonstrated in systematic clinical trials as those of Western drugs. According to recent surveys carried out among practitioners of Arabic medicine in the Middle East, 26 plant species for the treatment of diabetes mellitus have been disclosed. This study was aimed at investigating safety and efficacy of one of these plants that is still in the process of patenting it; herein named HOB.