The use of herbs among people with diabetes in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Abstract EN

Objective : The use of Complementary and Alternative medicine (CAM) is increasing worldwide and herbs are one of the most common types of CAM used.

The aims of this study were to measure the prevalence of the use of herbs among people with diabetes in the Kingdom of Bahrain and to examine the relationship between certain demographic characteristics and the use of herbs.

Method : A cross-sectional survey was conducted on people with diabetes who attended 4 main health centers in four different health regions namely : Esa Town, Naim, Sitra, and National Bank of Bahrain Health Centers over a two months period (from 30th October till 31st December 2004) using a prepared questionnaire.

Results : 300 patients were surveyed.

43.7 % of the patients were using herbs over the last one year.

Statistically significant relationship between the duration, nationality, control of blood sugar, and complications of diabetes and the use of herbs was found.

74 % of the patients did not disclose the use of herbs to their doctors.

29 types of herbs were used either alone or in multi-ingredient preparations.

The most commonly used herb was bitter gourd (karela).

More than 30 % of the patients did not know the name (s) of the herb (s) they were using.

More than 60 % got their herbs from friends or their relatives.

Conclusion : The use of herbs by people with diabetes is common in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Increasing the awareness of the physicians to ask about herbs in their management of the disease and people in the community with health education is necessary as these herbs may have herb-drug interaction.