Biometric Analysis of <i>Hunteria umbellata</i> (K.Schum.) Hallier f and Metformin in the treatment of diabetes

Abstract

Diabetes is a disease of genetic and environmental origin. It affects the glucose-insulin endocrine metabolic regulatory system due to the malfunction of the insulin producing cells of the pancreas. The purpose of this study is to carry out a comparative analysis of the potencies of hunteria umbellata and metformin on Type 1 diabetes mellitus using bio-statistical analysis. The period of attaining normal blood glucose level across times was taken into consideration as a basis for comparing the efficacy of the oral antidiabetic herbal drug to that of the orthodox antidiabetic drug. The biometric analysis of data from five diabetic patients that were placed on herbal treatment were taken daily for a period of 3 weeks during which they attained normal fasting blood glucose level of between 70mg and 100mg as compared with a recovery period of 8 weeks for the 15 patients treated with metformin 500mg. These results showed that hunteria umbellata is more efficacious in the treatment of diabetes mellitus than metformin 500mg.