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Herbal Medicine Can Harm Diabetic Patients

RAS AL KHAIMAH - Medical professionals in the emirate have urged parents to refrain from administering herbal medicines for treatment of diabetes among children.

Some herbal medicines could cause serious complications and pose a risk to the patient’s life, warned some doctors.

Doctors have also called on the Ministry of Health to promote awareness among the public for the prevention of diabetes and its recommended treatment.

The Director of Saqr Hospital, Abdullah bin Sufiyan, said the hospital had received several cases in which diabetic children were brought in a critical condition. In some patients, the blood sugar levels had shot up to 500mg and it was discovered that the majority of them had never received any treatment prescribed by professional doctors.

He noted that some of the parents disclosed that they had given herbal medicines to their diabetic children as part of their treatment.

Dr. Samir Abdullah Abdul Aziz, medical consultant and head of Children’s Section in Saqr Hospital, said recent research showed that owners of herbal medicine stores have been making false claims that herbal medicines were more effective in cure of diabetes.

He stressed that insulin was the most effective treatment of diabetes.

Dr. Abdul Aziz said herbal medicines were not recommended for serious diseases like diabetes, which first requires tests and proper diagnosis for ascertaining the blood sugar content so as to determine the desired dosage for treatment.

The herbal medicines, therefore, become non-effective.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com