''Gymnema sylvestre'' is a perennial woody vine native to Asia (including the Arabian Peninsula), Africa and Australia. It has been used in

Ayurvedic medicine Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population repor ...

. Common names include

gymnema ''Gymnema'' ( Neo-Latin, from Greek γυμνὀς ''gymnos'', "naked" and νῆμα, ''nēma'', "thread") is a genus in the family Apocynaceae first described as a genus in 1810. One species, ''Gymnema sylvestre ''Gymnema sylvestre'' is a per ...

, Australian cowplant, and Periploca of the woods, and the Hindi term ''gurmar'', which means "sugar destroyer". The leaves and extracts contain gymnemic acids, the major bioactive constituents that interact with taste receptors on the tongue to temporarily suppress the taste of sweetness.

Description

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 An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are forme ...

that is produced throughout the year.

Properties

''Gymnema sylvestre'' has a long history of use in herbal medicine and a broad range of therapeutic properties.

Blocks sweet taste sensations

Its leaves contain triterpenoid saponins,

flavonols Flavonols are a class of flavonoids that have the 3-hydroxyflavone backbone (IUPAC name : 3-hydroxy-2-phenylchromen-4-one). Their diversity stems from the different positions of the phenolic -OH groups. They are distinct from flavanols (with ...

, and gurmarin. The major biologically active plant molecules are gymnemic acids, a class of triterpenoid saponins, which have the effect of suppressing the taste of sweetness on the tongue from sucrose (sugar), stevia, xylitol, and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame. The sweet-blocking effect of ''G. sylvestre'' lasts from 15 to 50 minutes and may even persist for several hours. Gymnemic acids apparently have no long-term effects on taste and they do not influence bitter, salty, or sour taste perception.

Effects on sugar absorption and insulin secretion

Gymnemic acid compounds in ''Gymnema sylvestre'' can also attach to receptors on the intestinal walls, helping to reduce absorption of sugar molecules in the gut. This process can lower blood sugar and promote insulin secretion and release. However, its antidiabetic properties were not confirmed in rats.

Uses

# Reduction of sugar intake: ''G. sylvestre'' extracts taken in the form of lozenges, mouthwash, or tea diminishes the consumption of sweet foods and overall caloric intake. Extracts (formulated as a mint lozenge) reduced the desire for high-sugar foods and the pleasant taste of candy. Research also suggests that ''Gymnema sylvestre'' extracts reduce cravings for sugar. In a double-blind study, participants who received a gymnemic acid lozenge declined candy (before tasting it) more often than the placebo group. # Diabetes: Early research suggests when a specific gymnema extract (GS4) is taken orally along with insulin or diabetes medications, blood sugar reduction in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes is enhanced. # Weight loss: In Japan, 50 tons of ''G. sylvestre'' leaves are consumed annually for the purpose of weight loss. Early research suggests that taking a specific combination of ''Gymnema sylvestre'' extract, hydroxycitric acid, and niacin-bound chromium by mouth for 8 weeks might reduce body weight in people who are overweight or obese. # Traditional uses: In Eastern and Ayurvedic medicine, ''G. sylvestre'' leaves and extracts have been used to treat eye diseases, allergies, constipation, cough, dental caries, obesity, stomach ailments, and viral infections. ''G. sylvestre'' has also been used as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and aphrodisiac.

Etymology

''Gymnema'' derives from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

words ''gymnos'' (γυμνὀς) and ''nēma'' (νῆμα) meaning "naked" and "thread", respectively; the species epitheton ''sylvestre'' means "of the forest" in

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

. Wikisource:The New International Encyclopædia/Gymnema The

Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

and Urdu name ''gurmar'', Sanskrit ''madhunashini'', Malayalam ''chakkarakolli'', Tamil சிறுகுறுஞ்சான் ,and Telugu ''podapatri'', literally mean "sugar destroyer". (

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...

) ''meshasringa'' translates as "ram's horn", a name given to the plant due to the shape of its fruits.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q2725835 sylvestre Flora of Africa Flora of temperate Asia Flora of tropical Asia Medicinal plants of Asia