Description

Gurmar is a famed plant, revered for its use in treatment of diabetes for nearly two millennia. The Hindi name Gurmar actually means diabetes killer. It is a large climber, rooting at nodes. Leaves are elliptic, narrow tipped, base narrow. Leaves are smooth above, and sparsely or densely velvety beneath. Pale yellow flowers are small, in axillary and lateral umbel like cymes. Stalk of the umbel is long. Sepals are long, ovate, obtuse, velvety. Flowers are pale yellow, bell-shaped. Corona is single, with 5 fleshy scales.

Characteristics:

The plant is a climber with leaves having soft hairs on the upper surface. The leaves are elongated-oval in shape. It has a small, yellow, umbelliferous inflorescence that is produced throughout the year. Gurmar (Gymnema sylvestre) has a long history of use in herbal medicine and a broad range of therapeutic properties.

Medicinal Use:

One of the alternative medicines to both diabetes and obesity could be Gurmar plant preparation, as it known to have a good effect for curbing of diabetes by blocking sugar binding sites and hence not allowing the sugar molecules to accumulate in the body.