Product Name : Gymnema Sylvestre Powder Extract
Specification: 5:1 or Gymnemic acids 25%
Country of Origin :China

Gymnema has been used in India and South China for the treatment of diabetes for over 2,000 years. The leaves were also used for stomach ailment, constipation, water retention and liver disease.
Function:
Hypoglycemic Activity

The hypoglycemic (blood sugar-lowering) action of gymnema leaves was first documented in the late 1920s.¹ This action is gradual in nature, differing from the rapid effect of many prescription hypoglycemic drugs. Gymnema leaves raise insulin levels, according to research in healthy volunteers.² Based on animal studies, this may be due to regeneration of the cells in the pancreas that secrete insulin.³ Other animal research shows that gymnema can also improves uptake of glucose into cells and prevent adrenaline from stimulating the liver to produce glucose, thereby reducing blood sugar levels.⁴ It was also shown that the administration of GSE to diabetic animals not only resulted in improved glucose homeostasis, this improvement was accompanied by a regeneration of beta cells in the pancreas³.This is the only compound that has shown the ability to lessen indicators of diabetes by directly repairing/regenerating the pancreas cells responsible for producing insulin. 

The leaves are also noted for lowering serum cholesterol and triglycerides.⁵ Some researchers have suggested gymnemic acid as one possible candidate.⁶ Gurmarin, another constituent of the leaves, and gymnemic acid have been shown to block the ability in humans to taste sweets.⁷
Dosage:
Double-blind clinical trials in India have used 400 mg per day of a water-soluble acidic extract of the gymnema leaves(standardized to 25% gymnema acids). In type 2 diabetics, ongoing use for periods as long as 18 to 24 months has proven successful.⁸ In type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes patients, a similar amount has been used successfully as an adjunct to ongoing use of insulin⁹ Consult closely with a physician, as insulin amounts may need to be lowered while taking gymnema extract.
Safety:
Used at the amounts suggested, gymnema is generally safe and devoid of side effects. The safety of gymnema during pregnancy and breast-feeding has not yet been determined. People with diabetes should only use gymnema extract to lower blood sugar under the clinical supervision of a healthcare professional.
Chemistry:
The gymnema extract is standardized to 25% gymnema acids.
References:
1. Mhasker KS, Caius JF. A study of Indian medicinal plants. II. Gymnema sylvestre R.Br. Indian J Med Res Memoirs 1930;16:2–75.
2. Shanmugasundaram KR, Panneerselvam C, Sumudram P, Shanmugasundaram ERB. Insulinotropic activity of G. sylvestre, R.Br. and Indian medicinal herb used in controlling diabetes mellitus. Pharmacol Res Commun 1981;13:475–86.
3. Shanmugasundaram ER, Gopinath KL, Radha Shanmugasundaram K, Rajendran VM. Possible regeneration of the islets of Langerhans in streptozotocin diabetic rats given Gymnema sylvestre leaf extracts. J Ethnopharmacol 1990;30:265–79.
4. [No authors listed]. Gymnema sylvestre. Alt Med Rev 1999;4:46–7 [review].
5. Bishayee A, Chatterjee M. Hypolipidemic and antiatherosclerotic effects of oral Gymnema sylvestre R.Br. leaf extract in albino rats fed on a high fat diet. Phytother Res 1994;8:118–20.
6. Gymnema monograph. Lawrence Review of Natural Products. Aug 1993.
7. Fushiki T, Kojima A, Imoto T, et al. An extract of Gymnema sylvestre leaves and purified gymnemic acid inhibits glucose-stimulated gastric inhibitory peptide secretion in rats. J Nutr 1992;122:2367–73.
8. Baskaran K, Ahmath BK, Shanmugasundaram KR, Shanmugasundaram ERB. Antidiabetic effect of a leaf extract from Gymnema sylvestre in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients. J Ethnopharmacol 1990;30:295–305.
9. Shanmugasundaram ERB, Rajeswari G, Baskaran K, et al. Use of Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract in the control of blood glucose in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Ethnopharmacol 1990;30:281–94.erkeley, CA.