Complementary and alternative medicine for diabetes 2014

Diabetes, one of the incurable pandemic diseases, is characterized by insulin deficiency and insulin resistance, leading to aberrant homeostasis of glucose, protein, and lipid. Genetic and environmental factors are the primary causes of diabetes. International Diabetes Federation estimated that 400 million people are afflicted with this disease worldwide. However, current oral antidiabetic agents commonly used in orthodox medicine have unmet efficacy and undesirable side effects in patients, which, consequently, can develop cardiovascular diseases, retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, foot ulcers, and so forth. Therefore, there is an urgent need for development of new remedies for diabetes.