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The word 'Diabetes' is derived from the Greek word; 'Diab' to pass through referring to the cycle of heavy thirst and frequent urination. 'Mellitus' is the Latin word for "sweetened with honey", and refers to the presence of sugar in the urine. Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic abnormality in the world. Around 30 million people throughout the world suffer from diabetes mellitus. Worldwide, there is an increasing interest in the use of herbs/plants as most of the modern drugs are costly and tagged with serious side effects (Drug intolerance, hypersensitivity and resistance to insulin etc.). Since ancient times, traditional medicines all over the world have advocated the use of plants to treat diabetes. Till today more than 1200 species of plants have been screened for activity on the basis of ethnopharmacology or on random basis.
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