(also known as Goat’s Rue, French Lilac, Italian Fitch or Professor-weed) is a plant from the Galega genus of the Faboideae.
Medical Use
Galega officinalis has been known since the Middle Ages for relieving the symptoms of diabetes mellitus. Upon analysis, it turned out to contain guanidine, a substance that decreases blood sugar by decreasing insulin resistance.
Chemical derivatives from the biguanide class of medication include metformin (Glucophage, commonly prescribed for diabetics) and the older, withdrawn agent phenformin.
This herb actually decreases the cellular resistance to insulin, allowing the cells to utilize the insulin more efficiently in metabolizing glucose. It also decreases the absorption of glucose from the small intestine. It reduces the formation of glucose in the liver, and it increases the uptake and utilization of glucose in the fat and muscle cells throughout the body. Non-insulin dependent diabetics are able to better maintain blood glucose levels closer to the normal range, while insulin dependent diabetics are often able to reduce their insulin dosage and more easily maintain stable levels of the blood glucose.
Galega officinalis- (also known as Goat’s Rue, French Lilac, Italian Fitch or Professor-weed) is a plant from the Galega genus of the Faboideae. Galega officinalis has been known since the Middle Ages for relieving the symptoms of diabetes mellitus. Upon analysis, it turned out to contain guanidine, a substance that decreases blood sugar by decreasing insulin resistance. Chemical derivatives from the biguanide class of medication include metformin (Glucophage, commonly prescribed for diabetics) and the older, withdrawn agent phenformin. This herb actually decreases the cellular resistance to insulin, allowing the cells to utilize the insulin more efficiently in metabolizing glucose. It also decreases the absorption of glucose from the small intestine. It reduces the formation of glucose in the liver, and it increases the uptake and utilization of glucose in the fat and muscle cells throughout the body. Non-insulin dependent diabetics are able to better maintain blood glucose levels closer to the normal range, while insulin dependent diabetics are often able to reduce their insulin dosage and more easily maintain stable levels of the blood glucose.
