Chromium and zinc in a series of plants used in Portugal in the herbal treatment of non-insulinized diabetes

Osório e Castro, V. R. (2001) Chromium and zinc in a series of plants used in Portugal in the herbal treatment of non-insulinized diabetes. Acta Alimentaria, 30 (4). pp. 333-342. ISSN 0139-3006

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Abstract

Chromium (Cr3+) and zinc (Zn2+) are essential micronutrients for humans. Chromium's main action is thought to be the regulation of blood sugar, because chromium deficiency is related with diabetic-like (type 2) symptoms, and chromium supplementation is associated with increased glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Zinc supplementation also alleviates hyperglycaemia of the same type of diabetic patients contributing to improved insulin activity. Some Portuguese plants are commonly used as teas, alcoholic extracts or as powders by diabetic people and as medicines. Although their active principle is not yet known, the importance of their chromium and zinc content in the claimed therapeutic properties should not be disregarded. Thus, the determination of chromium and zinc in some Portuguese medicinal plants was performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Almost all the analysed plants contain chromium and zinc at the normal level for these elements but many plants, which are used for the preparation of teas or other forms of remedies to help those type of diabetic patients, contain them in higher levels.

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