Does Ayurveda really have a ‘treatment’ for Diabetes? Patients, students, doctors and scientists from across the globe ask this question often. We have been looking for the ‘correct’ answer to this question. Of late, we have been working on various autoimmune and degenerative disorders. In our clinics and through various research references, we have come up with highly encouraging results, especially in Type 2 diabetes. This paper is a summary of my observations in clinical Ayurvedic practice in last 15 years. ‘Medicine for Diabetes in Ayurveda’ is a cliché. Though unanswered, this question brings many perspectives. We have chosen a path. A path that is based on experiments and observations. We hope, this path leads to having a ray of hope for the ones who did not have a choice but to have Diabetes. Ayurveda believes that there is no substance in this world, which cannot be used as medicine. We wish, the times would come when all the medical sciences unite to create a better and brighter protocol, which can solve or at least ease the life of a Diabetic and life as a whole.

1. 1
Ayurveda for Diabetes Mellitus-hype, hope and beyond
Dr. Atul Rakshe, Pune, India
Ayurvedacharya, B.J., F.I.I.M., Maestro Di Ayurveda (Italy), Ayurveda Bhushan (2013)
drraksheatul@gmail.com www.cozwecare.org 091 9422034506
Does Ayurveda really have a ‘treatment’ for Diabetes?
Patients, students, doctors and scientists from across the globe ask this question often. We have been looking
for the ‘correct’ answer to this question. Of late, we have been working on various autoimmune and
degenerative disorders. In our clinics and through various research references, we have come up with highly
encouraging results, especially in Type 2 diabetes.
This paper is a summary of my observations in clinical Ayurvedic practice in last 15 years.
All this began in 1999 when I was a fresh young Ayurveda practitioner. I was then working in different fields
related to health and Ayurveda. I had recently started writing articles in leading newspapers, speaking
regularly on state radio channel and I was the associate editor of Deerghayu- the most read Marathi
Ayurveda publication. People started knowing our work, and started bringing patients with difficult diseases
to our clinics. They were real eye-openers and guiding stars for the journey ahead.
During one of my visits to my native place- Shrigonda, a small town around 100 kilometres from Pune, a
woman was brought for treatment. This middle-aged woman had bronchial asthma since childhood and
Diabetes for over a decade. Since she had very poor control on Asthma, she was advised to consume steroids.
This was worsening her general health and BSL1
was almost out of control.
When I saw her for the first time in 1999, she and the family had almost lost hope.
She could hardly breathe and needed steroid-bronchodilator inhaler more than 10 times in 24 hours. Her
BSL were over 200 fasting and over 350pp2,
; in spite of taking around 40 units of insulin twice every day.
We gave her some medicines and observed for some days. After a month, her Asthma attacks started reducing.
After 3 months, her BSL started improving. After around 12 months, her physician reduced the insulin doses
to 8units. Moreover, miraculously enough, after 2 years from the first visit, her insulin was completely
stopped. We continued her Ayurvedic medicines for over 5 years, tapered and stopped. She did not require
even oral hypoglycemics for next some years. Her BSL values were monitored regularly. Now, after over 13
years, she is on a very low dose of Metformin. She is living with her family, sons and grandchildren.
I could witness this journey of a woman, from that day of first consultation, when she had lost hope and
surrendered to the ever-growing misery and doom until today, when she is still living to show a ray of hope
to many like herself. Her Asthma and her Diabetes showed us a path.
Later, we tried similar medicines on dozens of people with Diabetes.
1. Blood sugar levels
2. Post-prandial

2. 2
Probably, India has the maximum number of people prone to Diabetes and its complications.
Last three decades have brought many changes for the people in this country. Life here has turned the life
upside down, almost like a roller-coaster ride.
‘Genetically modified’ food to feed the second largest human community on this planet; enormous increase in
domestic and workplace stresses; sudden loss of physical activity; information technology and technology in
general has made people laziest than ever. Diabetes Mellitus has never had such fertile soil and such
favourable conditions in the history of this disease. Main reasons for Diabetes could be summarised as lack of
exercise, increased stress, high calorie diet and some genetic factors.
No wonder, India has already become the Diabetes capital.
Of late, Diabetes Mellitus has been among the top killers. Almost like an epidemic, its direct and indirect
effects have been defeating the healing systems time and again.
Newer investigations like HbA1c have been only evident of the poor control on Diabetes and its’ possibilities.
A very typical progression in Type 2 Diabetes is seen.
In Diabetes patients, ‘beta cells’ of pancreas start dying. Almost all the medical sciences are trying to discover
a medicine, which can slow down or stop this process of ‘dying’ of beta cells.
Generally, as soon as a person comes to know about the abnormal blood sugar levels, he rushes to a doctor.
The doctor advices him some changes in lifestyle and restrictions in food alongwith the oral hypoglycemics
and –or insulin. With due course of time, these oral hypoglycemics do not work enough efficiently. The
doctor advises to increase the doses or changes the medicine altogether. The reason being the pancreatic cells,
which are already ‘weak’, get ‘exhausted’ with that certain medicine. This results in increased demand of oral
hypoglycaemics, eventually no result with oral medicines. This situations compels to start the Insulin
injections. The duration between the point of knowing the abnormal BSL and starting Insulin is different in all
individuals who have Diabetes.
The age group to have Diabetes has shifted from 40+ to 30+. It makes its management even more difficult.
Earlier the onset of the disease, earlier are the chances that the person will develop ‘resistance’ to specific
drugs like oral hypogycemics and insulin.
It has become a routine event to meet people with Diabetes and its complications. The complications can be
frozen shoulder, retinopathy, neuropathy, loss of libido, non-healing wounds, recurrent urinary tract
infections, renal failure, skin diseases and many more. These complications can be seen even in people who
have blood sugar levels within normal limits consistently for months together. Therefore, even if the blood
investigations show ‘normal’ BSL values, we cannot be sure that the person will not get any complications.
We were looking for a ‘blend’ of modern age philosophy and ancient Ayurvedic wisdom.
As we go further, we tried to find a way out.

3. 3
As we all know, Diabetes Mellitus is not a disease that comes from somewhere outside. Unlike a bacterial or
viral infection, it is an autoimmune disease, where some cells of the body start working against other cells of
the same human being, automatically.
Our focus was to see if ‘we could slow down the rate-of-dying-of-the-beta cells’, rejuvenate the pancreatic
cells and if possible, ‘outsource the digestion of sugar’.
Ayurveda offers many herbal-mineral medicines, Dinacharya (lifestyle modifications), Ahar (changes in food)
and panchakarma procedures to ‘detoxify’ the organs and systems in order to treat ‘Prameha’. Prameha is the
closest description to today’s Diabetes Mellitus. There can be some relevance to what is similar in both
Ayurveda and modern Allopathic scientific scripts. For example: Udakameha = Diabetes insipidus, Ikshumeha
= Alimentary glycosuria, Madhumeha = Diabetes mellitus, Sandrameha = Phospaturia, Surameha =
Acetonuria, Pishtameha = Chyluria, Shukrameha = Spermaturia, Sikatameha = Lithuria, Lalameha =
Albuminuria.
However, some questions remain unanswered when we try to treat Diabetes on similar guidelines on which
we would diagnose and treat Prameha, its stages and complications. For instance, ancient Ayurbedic texts like
‘Charaka samhita, ‘Sushrut Samhita’ and Ashtanga Hridayam (popularly known as Vagbhat samhita) explain
various types of Prameha. The main diagnostic feature of each Prameha type is the ‘change in colour or
consistency or density of urine kept for certain duration’. We tried this in many ‘normal’ and diabetic
patients. The results were confusing.
In many ‘Prameha chikitsa’ verses which explain the treatment of Prameha; Honey is advised as the anupana
(Vehicle = a substance with which the medicine should be consumed). Honey can be disastrous for blood
sugar levels if taken one or two tablespoons a day.
For us, the most important line-of-thinking was the concept of ‘Agni’. Ayurveda describes yakruta (Liver).
Pleehaa (Spleen) and Swadupinda (Pancreas) as the root places (moola sthana) of agni. Agni is the ‘energy’
that converts substances, materials and tissues to another. For example, agni is the one which ‘converts’ rays
of light into vision, food into tissues (7 dhatus) and helps excrete ‘mala’s i.e. wastes out of the body.
The organ ‘Agnyashaya’(Agni-ashaya. Ashya mean ‘home’. Agnyashaya means home of agni) is Pancreas-
swadupinda. We found this concept of Agni very similar to the pathophysiology that ‘beta cells’ of pancreas
generate insulin and hence are responsible to Diabetes.
We selected herbs and minerals on following criteria:
1. ‘Agni’vardhaka (For the ‘balance’ of agni – the converter)
2. Amapachaka (For the elimination of ‘toxins’ which may be born of ‘undigested’ food and still remain
in the body stuck in different ‘channels’ of body tissues.
3. Rasayana (For rejuvenation which may counter the ‘damage’ of tissues)
4. Help the reduction of dependence on the ‘medicines’. We believe that within each living body there is
a ‘factory of medicines’, which is constantly working. We tried to find way to boost its’ mechanism.

4. 4
Before starting to design a Diabetes management protocol, we decided some rules:
1. Only Type 2 Diabetes cases were studied.
2. Oral hypoglycemics, Insulin, multivitamins and other allopathic medicines were continued
simultaneously. They were reduced, altered or tapered as BSL1
s started improving, with routine
involvement of the same Physician (M.D. Medicine) who managed the patient before coming for
Ayurvedic treatment.
3. Some patients came to us, as soon as they were diagnosed with Diabetes. They were asked to consume
only Ayurvedic medicines. They were advised to take Oral hypoglycemics consult a physician only if
there was no improvement in 3 weeks.
4. Our goal was to find out whether there can really be some Ayurvedic medicines which could help in
a) better control on Diabetes
b) Controlling the possibilities and progress of diabetes complications.
c) Enhancing the effect and efficacy of oral hypoglycemics and insulin if already started.
d) Improvement in quality of life and sense of wellbeing.
We named our Diabetes management protocol as ‘Madhumitra’.
Madhumitra line-of-action has three ways:
 To boost the Agnyashaya (Panceras)
 Improve functioning of Liver cells
 Improve the health and functioning of excretory systems
The ‘design module’ of Madhumitra suggests three basic principles:
1. Accept: To have a difficult autoimmune disease like Diabetes is certainly difficult to accept. ‘Why me?’
is the question which remains unanswered and keeps one from accepting the fact. ‘Something has
changed, and i ‘have to’ accept it happily’- is the key!
2. Abjure: Food, habits and other factors that will worsen the situation should be well known and
avoided.
3. Act: Many people just ‘plan’ and ‘decide’ to change. Change can only be achieved if one follows
certain changes as the philosophy, as the rule as the protocol or as program of his living.
‘Madhumitra’ mainly includes the following:
 Diet modifications
 Lifestyle modifications
 Ayurvedic medicines
Diet:
A specially designed ‘Diabetes diet’ is prescribed to each patient.
Dietary changes mainly include low calorie, low sugar, high protein, low fat, high fibre diet.
Lifestyle modifications:
Simple changes in daily routine are suggested. They include:
1. Avoid water*
, fruits, beverages or sweets immediately after food.

5. 5
2. A walk for 4 to 5 minutes after each meal.
3. Consume warm water during meals.
4. A healthy breakfast is necessary. Avoid late and heavy dinners.
5. Consume two almonds soaked overnight in water and 2 walnut seeds each morning.
6. Eat an apple or an ama each morning.
Since exercise is equally important, we generally prescribe following exercises; out of which a patient is
advised to follow at least one routinely.
1. A set of 12 Suryanamaskar (Vedic method of salute-to-sun. It includes different postures, a specific
Sanskrit ‘mantra’- a composition that establishes control on breathing during the postures) is most
advised. Suryanamaskars provide the best ‘stretch’ and twist to muscles, joints and soft tissues. They
also establish a specific ‘calmness’ and rhythm in the physical, emotional activity which further helps
to reduce physical-mental stress.)
2. A brisk walk for 40 minutes a day is also advised.
Ayurvedic medicines:
1. Chandraprabha vati 250mg tablet (Shrangadhar Samhita)
One tablet twice a day; at morning, empty stomach with ½ cup of warm water and one tablet at
bedtime after at least 1 hour after dinner.
2. Panchtikta Ghrita guggul
One to two tablets twice a day; at morning, empty stomach with ½ cup of warm water and one tablet
at bedtime after at least 1 hour after dinner.
3. A blend of Triphala choorna (Blend of powders of fruits of Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellerica,
Emblica officinalis :Bhavaprakasha Nighantu) 1.5 gms and Haridra(Turmeric powder 0.5gms with ½
cup of warm water at bedtime after at least 1 hour after dinner..
4. A blend of following herbs ½ table spoon - 0.5gms twice a day; at morning, empty stomach with ½
cup of warm water and at bedtime after at least 1 hour after dinner.
Each 1-gram powder has approximately following quantity of herbs:
 Patola (Fruit of Trichosanthes dioica Roxb.) 30mg
 Indrayava (Seeds of Wrightia tinctoria)30mg
 Kutaki (Picrorhiza kurroa) 30mg
 Vasa (Adathoda vasica) 30mg
 Nimba patra (Leaves of Azardichta indica) 30mg
 Methika ( Fenugreek seed- Trigunella foenumn-graceum linn.) 30mg
 Gudamaar (Leaves of Gymnema sylvestre) 30mg
 Chitraka (Roots of Plumbago zeylanicaLinn.) 10mg
 Tejapatra (Leaves of Cinnamomum tamala Nees & Eberm.) 10mg
 Anantamool (Root of Hemidesimus indicus R. Br.) 30mg
 Bilwapatra (Leaves of Aegel marmelos) 30mg
 Usheera (Root of Vetiveria zizanioides) 30mg
 Bhumyamlaki (Leaves of Phyllanthus niruli) 30mg
 Jeeraka (Seeds of Cuminum Cyminum) 20mg

6. 6
 Chirayata (Swerita chirata Buch-Ham. Ex C. B. Clarke) 30mg
 Jambu (Seed of Eugenia jambolana Lam.) 40 mg
 Lodhra (Symplocos racemosa Roxb.) 30mg
 Khadeera (Bark of Acacia catechu Willd.) 30mg
 Amalaki: (Fruit of Emblica officinalis Gaertn.) 30mg
 Bibhitaka (Fruit of Terminalia Bellerica Roxb.) 30mg
 Haritaki (Fruit of Terminalia chebula) 30mg
 Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) 40mg
 Nimba twak (Bark of Azadirachta Indica) 30mg
 Karela(Powder of Momordica charantia Linn.) 40mg
 Shweta Chandana (Sandalwood, Santalum album) 30mg
 Haridra (Curcuma longa Linn.) 30mg
 Vijayasar (Keeno Tree: Pterocarpus marsupium) 40mg
 Twak (Bark of Dalchini- Cinnamomum zeylanicum) 20mg
 Punarnava (Root of Boerhaavia diffusa) 40mg
5. In some cases, we prescribe Tab. Asanad vati (Proprietary: Ayurveda Rasashala Pune. Ingredients
Saptaparni, Asan, Lodhra, Arjuna, Karanja, Khadir, Pooga, Saga, Indrayava, Shirisha, Wala, Mocharas,
Palashabeej, Jeetasaya, Shilajatu, Meshashringi blend triturated with Aloe vera (Kumari) juice.
Asanad was prescribed to those with BSL PP above 300, especially Pitta Prakruti people.
In the chart below, we present some case studies at a glance so that one can have a brief idea about the
prognosis of individual patients with different age groups and complications.
Sr.Number
Patient’s name,
age, sex
Date of first consultation,
BSL, USL F/PP
Treatment for DM if any
Complications,
other symptoms
Date of last follow up, BSL
F/PP
Treatment
Complications
status
1. Dattatraya P.
45/M
18/04/2009
249/334
++/+++
No treatment
Pain in both
heels, dry
eczema
25/01/2013
180/210
Nil/Nil
Only Ayurvedic treatment
No pain in heels,
eczema healed
2. Archana V. 42/F 19/04/2012
230/272
+++/++ Proteins trace, pus cell 10-12
No treatment
Dryness on
palms
07/06/2013
158/183
Nil/Nil
Only Ayurvedic Treatment
No protein/ pus
cell in urine,
dryness of palms
reduced
3. Nagesh L. 62/M 12/06/2011
147/326
Absent/++++
Albuminurea,
Severe weight
loss
13/06/2013
158/190
Nil/Nil
All allopathic medicines were
discontinued by the patient
against medical advice after
first consultation
No Albumin
found in urine,
weight gain 2kg

7. 7
4. Shounak K.
50/M
25/05/2012
142/313 On Glucometer
No treatment
6th
nerve palsy
Left
Diplopia
Headache
19/02/2013
136/193
Diplopia reduced.
Bilateral vision
and eyes almost
normal
5. Rutuja S. 54/F 26/08/2012
72/ 350
T. Glynase 1½ BD
T. X Met 500-2OD
T. Jalra 1 BD
Weight loss
Weight 39kg
15/06/2013
90/155
T. Glynase1/2Hs
T. X Met 500-2 OD
T. Jalra stopped on 6/10/2013
Weight gain 1 kg
6. Premnath J.
35/M
26/11/2012
137/180
T. Diamet SR 500 1BD
General
Debility,
Burning feet
04/05/2013
126/158
T. Diamet SR 500 reduced to
½ BD on 02/01/2013
Further reduced to
only ½ after
lunch.19/01/2013
General Debility
reduced. Burning
in feet reduced
7. Prabha R. 61/F 2/01/2007
180/289
Tab. Glycomet 1BD
Recurrent UTI,
General debility,
Frozen shoulder
21/06/2013
110/125
T. Glycomet discontinued
AMA in 2009
No UTI since
2010
General debility
reduced
Shoulder
restriction and
pain completely
reduced
8. Uday p. 58/M 22/04/2013
186/232
+/++
T. Glycomet GP1 1 Before breakfast
T. Glycomet GP2 Forte1 B Dinner
T. Cilacan T 1 BD
T. Sutamet 50 1 BD
T. CTD 12.5 1 to 8 am
Ecosprin 75 1 after lunch
T. Lipicure TG Before breakfast
Hypertension
Hyperlipidemia
29/05/2013
122/162
9. M. Nadar 60/M 01/01/2009
169/260
Trace/++
Tenolol 501 HS
Hypertension 05/02/2013
123/145
Trace/+
Hypertension
remains with
fluctuations
10. Vandana K. 48/F 30/062012
185/284
+/++
No treatment
Hypothyroidism
under Allopathy
treatment, dry
cough, uterine
fibroids,
anaemia, anal
05/07/2013
138/162
Only Ayurvedic treatment
Complications
severity and
recurrence
reduced

8. 8
fissures
‘Medicine for Diabetes in Ayurveda’ is a cliché. Though unanswered, this question brings many perspectives.
We have chosen a path. A path that is based on experiments and observations. We hope, this path leads to
having a ray of hope for the ones who did not have a choice but to have Diabetes.
Ayurveda believes that there is no substance in this world, which cannot be used as medicine.
We wish, the times would come when all the medical sciences unite to create a better and brighter protocol,
which can solve or at least ease the life of a Diabetic and life as whole.
References:
 Madhavanidanam (Choukhamba prakashan Teeka- edited with- Madhukosh, Vimala, Madhudhara by Dr. Brahmanada
Tripathi) Chapter:Prameharoganidana
 Marathi Charakasamhita Chapter: Prameha chikitsa Adhyaya by Prof. Dr. P. H. Kulkarni
 * Ashtangahridayam Sutrasthana by. Garde Chapter aahaaravidhivishesh
Dr. Atul Rakshe is the founder president of Shree Niramay Ayurveda Kendra and Beyond horizons health and social circle (BHHAS
India). He has worked as the convener of International Ayurveda Association (IAA) since 2001. He is the faculty and visiting
consultant at Yukti (Portugal), Praanam (Spain), The heal school (Rome), Joytinat (Italy) and Ayurveda biologics (The Nederlands).
He is the member of International Advisory board of The Ayurveda Federation South Afrca (TAFSA). He was the guest of honour of
the first Dolce India festival at Corinaldo Italy. He is the founder member of Prof. P. H. Kulkarni School of Ayurveda at Rimini, Italy.
He was the organizing president and organizing secretary of many International and domestic Ayurveda conferences dedicated to
‘Evidence based Ayurveda’. He is associate editor of Deerghayu annual (Marathi) and Deerghayu International (Peer reviewed
English journal for Ayurveda and health sciences). He has received the title Maestro di Ayurveda (Italy 2010), Ayurveda Parangat
2011, Ayurveda best research paper award 2013, International Ayurveda Bhushan award 2013.