An anti-diabetes herbal drug, jointly developed by two Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratories has been launched in certain parts of North India. The drug, dubbed BGR-34, has been derived from the medicinal plant extracts as described in the ancient Ayurveda text.

BGR-34 been jointly developed by National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP). For the purpose of commercialisation, the drug licence has been awarded to Delhi-based Aimil Pharamaceuticals Pvt. Ltd. In return, Aimil will pay royalty based on drug sales to CSIR.

The drug is available in the form of a 500mg pill which needs to be consumed twice a day by a patient suffering from Type 2 diabetes. BGR-34 was recently approved by the Indian ministry that looks after traditional Indian medicines, AYUSH.

The Livemint reports that the drug was tested on a group of 1000 patients from the Indian states of Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh. The study, which lasted for over a period of 18 months, found that the escalated blood glucose levels of 67 percent of the patients returned back to normal within three to four days of drug consumption.

“The modern diabetes drugs are known for side-effects and toxicity while BGR-34 works by controlling blood sugar and limiting the harmful effects of other drugs,” said NBRI scientist A.K.S. Rawat in a statement.

The Huffington Post reports that the drug has the capability to strengthen the immune system of the patient and also work as an antioxidant.

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