Evaluation of the hypoglycemic effect of the phytotherapeutic drug Bauhinia forficata in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Introduction: The medicinal plant Bauhinia forficata has been reported as possibly being hypoglycemic. Objectives: To evaluate the hypoglycemic effect of B. forficata in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: In the first collection (collection 1), 49 subjects underwent anthropometric assessment and evaluation of blood glucose test by capillary glycemia (HGT) and glycated hemoglobin (A1C). To check the effect of B. forficata they received tea after the second data collection (collection 2). Participants were reassessed 45 days (collection 3) and 5 months (collection 4) after the use of tea. The mean age of the population studied was 65.51 ± 8.38 years, and the mean BMI was 30.14 ± 4.83 kg/m2. Results: There was no significant difference in the values of fasting glucose and A1C before and after the consumption of tea. Conclusion: There was no hypoglycemic effect with the use of B. forficata in this population.