Ayurvedic cure takes juvenile patient off insulin

As medical circle remains critical of ayurvedic discoveries to help cure diabetes, this one has left them curious. An ayurvedic drug...

As medical circle remains critical of ayurvedic discoveries to help cure diabetes, this one has left them curious. An ayurvedic drug — undergoing clinical trial at a government hospital in Pune — has helped 11-year old Vinayak Dongre from Solapur district in Maharashtra stop his intake of insulin!

Vinayak’s father Tau Dongre told The Indian Express that his son was detected with diabetes in July last year. He was put on insulin and had to take around 30-35 units per day. While Vinayak is not part of the clinical trial, Tau had heard about the ayurvedic drug Madhusar and post medical advice from Sassoon General Hospital, the drug was given to Vinayak.

According to Dr P S Pawar, medical superintendent, Sassoon General Hospital, “We were surprised to find that the boy no longer required insulin.” He added that the boy, hailing from Aadegaon village in Mohol taluka of Solapur district, was initially admitted to a private hospital in Karad. According to Pawar, none of his family members suffer from diabetes.

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Juvenile diabetes is an autoimmune disorder which can be due to environmental trigger or virus which hampers the function of beta cell. Once the beta cells are destroyed, the body is unable to produce insulin, said Dr Abhay Mutha, who has 500 insulin-dependent children under the Diabetes Foundation in Maharashtra. Of the 40 million diabetics in the country, at least 5-7 per cent are children, added Mutha.

It may be recalled here that Sassoon General Hospital had conducted a six-month trial on the use of ayurvedic treatment to control diabetes.

The clinical trial on 63 patients was undertaken to find out the effect of ayurvedic treatment on diabetic patients. Around 46 patients (73 per cent) responded to the treatment. One out of 14 Type 1 diabetes patient successfully managed without insulin, while nine patients of Type 1 diabetes (those requiring insulin) showed reduction in the dosage of insulin from 35 units to 21.6 units, Dr Sarita Gaikwad, Head of the Department of Ayurveda, Sassoon General Hospital said.