Integrative Naturopathic and Herbal Interventions in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among the Indian Population: A Mixed-Methods Study

Background: There’s an increase in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in India as the majority of the population practices herbal and naturopathic therapies due to the cultural integration of these therapies. There are many medicinal herbs used in diabetes control; however, these herbs lack studies evaluating clinical outcomes and patients’ perspectives. Objective: This evaluating the clinical effectiveness and patients’ perceptions of diabetes management on the commonly used herbs and naturopathic practices for glycemic control in patients with T2DM. Methods: The authors performed a mixed-methods observational study of 300 T2DM patients in selected states of India. The quantitative component involved the collection of blood samples to assess fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose (PPBG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c levels) in a pre-post analysis at 12 weeks. The researchers used semi-structured interviews for the qualitative component to look at the patients’ experiences, accomplishments, patient safety, and challenges encountered with the therapies. The paired sample t-tests and ANOVA tests were used to assess the quantitative data, while thematic analysis was used to assess the qualitative data. Results: Outcomes after 12 weeks showed statistically significant reductions in FBG, PPBG, and HbA1c (p < .001). Bitter gourd and gymnema extract had the strongest results for improvement in glycemia. The majority of the participants had positive feedback regarding satisfaction, perceived safety, affordability, and the trust in the herbal glycemic control methods. Commonly, however, dosage unclearity, product quality, and lack of regulation concerns were mentioned. Conclusion: Herbs and naturopathic methods showed improvement in glycemic control and were well received by patients with T2DM. Implementation of these methods into formal structured supervised health care should improve diabetes management while addressing safety and standardization issues.