Background. Diabetes mellitus is a complicated health condition with multiple causes and many treatment options. Various myths may influence diabetics’ health-seeking behavior, and they may use traditional medicines, which include normal foods and herbs, for primary health care. The aim of this study was to determine patients’ and herbalists’ practices and perspectives regarding the use of traditional medicines and the role of traditional medicines in the management of diabetes. Methods and Findings. We conducted a cross-sectional study with a mixed-methods design. We interviewed 140 patients attending diabetic clinics using a structured questionnaire, conducted focus group discussions with an additional 20 diabetic patients, and conducted in-depth interviews with 8 local herbalists. The majority of the diabetic participants believed that diabetes is caused by a high-carbohydrate diet. Of the 140 participants who answered the questionnaire, 67.2% reported using traditional medicines to manage their diabetes, including 58.6% who reported using both conventional medicines and traditional medicines. Some participants believed that combining conventional and traditional medicines improved the effectiveness of treatment. Reasons given for using traditional medicines included the high cost of conventional treatment and the availability and accessibility of the traditional medicines. The most commonly used traditional medicines were indigenous vegetables and medicinal plant products including amalanth leaves, hare lettuce leaves, nightshade leaves, spider plant leaves, okra pods, moringa leaves and seeds, soursop leaves, black plum back, avocado seed, and lemongrass. Conclusion. Patients and herbalists provided a range of perspectives regarding the use of traditional medicines to treat diabetes. Further research is needed to identify bioactive compounds present in commonly used traditional medicines and their efficacy.
Type 2 diabetes is a complicated health condition with multiple causes and ways of management. It is accompanied with various myths that guide people‘s health seeking behavior and they may use alternative medicines and abandoning the physician medicines. This study aimed to investigate on food related myths and use of alternative medicines in management of type 2 diabetes in Northern Tanzania. A cross-sectional analytical mixed methods design was conducted. A total of 168 were interviewed and anthropometric measurements of the patients were assessed. The X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was used to determine the mineral contents of traditional medicines. Quantitative data were analyzed by Statistical Product and Services Solution (SPSS Inc.), Nutri-Survey and GenStat software. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Majority of the patients consumed whole fresh milk (81.4%), ground nuts (76.4%), beef (70%), beans (70%) and sunflower oil (80%). Most of them had low intake of dietary calcium (86.3%) and protein (64%). High prevalence of overweight/obese revealed among female, with primary education, aged 41-60 years, selfemployed, married/cohabiting and from KCMC. Participants reported that carbohydrate rich diets cause diabetes, soaking/washing rice removes carbohydrate, traditional medicines treat diabetes, and use of both conventional and traditional medicines increase treatment efficacy. About 67.2% participants were using traditional medicines like soursop leaves, black plum barks, okra pods, moringa leaves and seeds, avocado seeds and lemongrass to manage their diabetes. These medicines contain calcium, magnesium, chromium and zinc as important minerals in diabetes management. Further study is warranted to look for other phytochemicals and their physiological effect.
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