Milestones in the history of diabetes mellitus: The main contributors

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases involving carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism. It is characterized by persistent hyperglycemia which results from defects in insulin secretion, or action or both. Diabetes mellitus has been known since antiquity. Descriptions have been found in the Egyptian papyri, in ancient Indian and Chinese medical literature, as well as, in the work of ancient Greek and Arab physicians. In the 2(nd) century AD Aretaeus of Cappadocia provided the first accurate description of diabetes, coining the term diabetes, while in 17(th) century Thomas Willis added the term mellitus to the disease, in an attempt to describe the extremely sweet taste of the urine. The important work of the 19(th) century French physiologist Claude Bernard, on the glycogenic action of the liver, paved the way for further progress in the study of the disease. In 1889, Oskar Minkowski and Joseph von Mering performed their famous experiment of removing the pancreas from a dog and producing severe and fatal diabetes. In 1921, Frederick Banting and Charles Best extended Minkowski's and Mering's experiment. They isolated insulin from pancreatic islets and administrated to patients suffering from type 1 diabetes, saving thus the lives of millions and inaugurating a new era in diabetes treatment.

Gestational diabetes: An overview with attention for developing countries

“…Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the major actual public health issues consisting of chronic hyperglycemia which can damage body organs and systems (Karamanou et al 2016). Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common metabolic complication in pregnancy, defi ned as a glucose intolerance identifying for the fi rst time during pregnancy (ReyesLopez et al 2014).…”

Can Avicenna Help Manage the Diabetes Epidemic in Central Asia?

“…Descriptions of diabetes have been found in ancient Indian and Chinese medical literature, as well as in the work of ancient Greek and Arab physicians, and in the works of Avicenna (980-1037), who also described complications like sexual dysfunction and gangrene [12][13][14]. Diabetes was known under different names including the "pissing evil" in the 17th century.…”

“…The English anatomist and physician Thomas Willis (1621-1675) is attributed with adding Latin "mellitus (honey-like, sweet) to Greek "diabetes"-siphon, to pass through-to better reflect one of the major diagnostic parameters of the condition-excessive sugar in urine [14].…”

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

“…The pioneers in the treatment of DM were Sushruta, Arataeus, and Thomas Willis, Karamanou et al, (2016). The prevalence of diabetes is increasing rapidly worldwide and the World Health Organization in 2003 predicted that by 2030 the number of adults with diabetes would have doubled worldwide, from 177 million in 2000 to 370 million.…”

“…It is a disease in the glucoseinsulin endocrine metabolic regulatory system, in which the pancreas either does not release insulin or does not properly use insulin to uptake glucose in the plasma. This disease is referred to as hyperglycaemia (Karamanou et al, 2016;American Diabetes Association, 2009). The Hindu scholars in 1500 BC described DM as a mysterious disease causing thirst, enormous urine output, and wasting away of the body with additional effect that flies and ants are attracted to the urine of the sufferers (Das and Shah, 2011).…”