1. Gymnema sylvestre
By
Pallavi Bohra

2. Introduction
Ankit Sanejal et.,al Gymnema sylvestre.2010
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 Herb, climber
 8 m/600m height
 Native of southern,
central India and
Srilanka, africa,Malasiya
 Also known as Asclepias
geminata, Gymnema
melicida, and Pinus
sylvestris
 Other names
 English: Periploca of
woods
 Hindi:Gurmar
(Destroyer of sugar)
 Sanskrit:Madhuashini
 Marathi:Dhuleti
 Kannada:Sannageraseha
-mbu

3. Classification
Ankit Sanejal et.,al Gymnema sylvestre.2010
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 Kingdom: Plantae
 Subkingdom: Tracheobionta
 Superdivision: Spermatophyta
 Division: Magnoliophyta
 Class: Magnoliopsida
 Subclass: Asteridae
 Order: Gentianales
 Family: Asclepiadaceae
 Genus: Gymnema
 Species: sylvestre R.Br. (Robert Brown)

4. Plant morphology
Stem: Arial, hard and branched. Young
stem’s branches are smooth and cylindrical.
Leaves: Elliptic, base acute to acuminate,
glabrous and opposite.
Infloroscence: Umbellate cyme with small
yellow coloured flowers
A.Sabhitha rani et.,al GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE:AN IMPORTANTANTIDIABETICPLANTOF INDIA:.2012
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5. Cultivation
 Best is sandy loam soil.
 For preparation : Make soil weed-free
 10-12 tonnes/hectare of FYM and 250 kg of NPK
added as a basal dose at the time of preparation
 October-December : Seeds are collected and sown in
polybags.
 Feb-March: Seedling raised are planted in field
 1-1.5 m spacing is recommended
 Green gram can be grown as a intercrop
 Irrigation require once a week
 October-Feb. One year leaves are ready to harvest
 Roots are collected in summers
 Aphid sp. is observed to attach this plant
National medicinal plant board
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6. Harvesting
 Leaves: 30-40 days leaves can be used
 One year time is best
 Post harvesting methods:
 Dried in shade
 Packed in polybags
 Moisture content should only 8%
 Chemical constitute:
 7-9.6% of gymnemic acid
 Yield and cost of cultivation:
 1250 kg of dry leaves from one hectare in every three months
 Cost of cultivation is 25000 Rs/hectare
National medicinal plant board
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7. Phyto Chemistry
Ankit Sanejal et.,al Gymnema sylvestre.2010
www.natureherbs.com
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 G.syvestre leaves extract
contain oleanane and
dammarene classes of
triterpene saponins.
 Major component:
Gymnemic acid, gurmarin,
gymnemasaponins and
gymnemasides
 Gymenemic acid and
gymnemasaponins are group
of oleanane type of
saponins
 Dammarene saponins are
gymnemasides and
gurmarin
 Other components: Resins,
albumin, chlorophyll,
carbohydrates, tartaric acid,
formic acid, butyric acid,
anthraquinone derivatives,
inositole
 Alkaloids, organic acid (5.5%),
parabin, calcium oxalate
(7.3%), lignin (4.8%), cellulose
(22%)

8. Nutraceutical values
 Slow the transport of glucose from the intestine to
the bloodstream
Lower blood sugar
Lower gycosylated heamoglobin HbAC1
Lower glycosylated plasma protein levels
Decreasing glycosuria
 Chewing the leaves destroys the ability to identify the
sweet taste
 Fruits and leaves used for treating blood pressure and
heart rhythms
http://www.drwhitaker.com/the-benefits-of-gymnema-sylvestre-extract
http://www.drugs.com/npc/gymnema.html
A.Sabhitha rani et.,al GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE:AN IMPORTANTANTIDIABETICPLANTOF INDIA:.2012
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9. Continue……….
 Leaves are bitter, astringent and acrid
 Also, anti-inflammatory, anthelmenthics,
cardiotonic, expectorant and antipyretic.
 Leaves are also used for stomach ailments, water
retention, and liver disease, anaemia and eye
complaints, jaundice, asthma and leucoderma.
 Leaves also used to treat snake bite.
A.Sabhitha rani et.,al GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE:AN IMPORTANTANTIDIABETICPLANTOF INDIA:.2012
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10. continue…..
 Lowering serum cholesterol and triglycerides
 Reduce the complications of retinopathy by 38%
 Other : Anti-inflammatory, anodyne, digestive, liver
tonic, anti-emetic, diuretic, stimulant, laxative,
uterine tonic and urinary disorder.
 Useful in dyspepsia, constipation and jaundice,
haemorrhoids, cardiopathy, asthma, bronchitis,
amenorrhoea, conjunctivitis and leucoderma
Ankit Sanejal et.,al Gymnema sylvestre.2010
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11. Mechanism of G.sylvestre (Gymnemic acid)-
hypogycimic effect
 It promotes regeneration of islet cells
 It increases secretion of insulin
 It causes inhibition of glucose absorption from
intestine
 It increases utilization of glucose as it increase the
activities of enzymes responsible for utilization of
glucose by insulin-dependent pathways, an increase
in phosphorylase activity, decrease in gluconeogenic
enzymes and sorbitol dehydrogenase
 Decrease glucose absorption in the intestine
Ankit Sanejal et.,al Gymnema sylvestre.2010
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12. Ethnobotanical Uses (Tribal people)
 Jungle Irulas , Bourgeois classes inhabitants of Nagari
Hills (North Arcot District, Bombay and Gujarat): Habit
of chewing a few green leaves in the morning in order to
keep their urine clear and to reduce glycosuria
 Vaids (Bombay and Madras): Used leaves in the treatment
of furunculosis and madhumeha (Honey urine)
 Juice obtained from root is used to treat vomiting and in
dysentery
 Plant paste is applied with mother’s milk to treat mouth
ulcer
Ankit Sanejal et.,al Gymnema sylvestre.2010
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13. Pharmacology studies
 Antiobesity Study:
 Gurmarin peptide block the ability to taste sweet or bitter
flavors and thus reduces sweet cravings
 Gymnema sylvestre extract and hydroxycitric acid, niacin
bound chromium can serve as an effective and safe
weight loss formula
 *Who took gymnema one hour before food eat less than
the participants who had not consume gymnema
 Antimicrobial Activity:
 Against Bacillus pumilis, B. subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
and Staphylococcus aureus
 Ethanolic, Chloroform and Ethyl acetate extracts of the
aerial parts -antibacterial effects against P. vulgaris, E. coli,
P. aeroginosa, Klebsella pneumoniae and S. aureus
Ankit Sanejal et.,al Gymnema sylvestre.2010
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14. Suggested combinations with other
herbs
 Diabetes :G. sylvestre can be taken along with
fenugreek, goat’s rue and neem leaves .
 Weight loss :G.sylvestre with globe artichoke or blue
flag for weight loss.
 Hypercholesterolaemia: G. sylvestre recommended
with turmeric, hawthorn, Silybum, globe artichoke
and garlic.
Ankit Sanejal et.,al Gymnema sylvestre.2010
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15. Limitation
 No major side effects have been reported
 Can cause hypoglycaemia-medical supervision
require
Market info
 2006/07
 Market price:50Rs/kg (dry leaves)
 Market demands: 1tonnes/year
www.natureherbs.com
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16. Some products
http://www.mynutramart.com/vista-nutritions-resveratrol-plus-with-gymnema-sylvestre.html,
http://www.shopclues.com/amway-nutrilite-glucose-health-
19.html?gclid=CNTbr9umtMICFQcRjgod9xUAuQ&gclsrc=aw.ds
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Some products

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