STEVIA

Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) is a plant that belongs to the aster family (Asteraceae). It is grown for its leaves that have a sweet taste. The plant is native to Paraguay and has been used for a long time by the Guaraní people. The leaves consist of several sweet-tasting chemicals called steviol glycosides, which can be used fresh or dried to sweeten beverages or desserts. Stevia can also be processed commercially into powdered non-caloric sweeteners. Steviol glycosides, especially stevioside and rebaudioside A, are more than 300 times sweeter than table sugar and have no effect on blood glucose levels. Stevia sweeteners are seen as a healthier alternative to sugar and have become increasingly popular worldwide in the early 21st century.

Botanical Name : Stevia rebaudiana Bert.

Family : Asteraceae

Introduction : In folk it used for digestive complaints. Its chemicals are useful in diabetes and                                         hypertension.

English Name : Stevia

Distribution & Habitat : Cultivated all around India

Karma : Hypoglycemic, carminative

Indication : Diabetes, hypertension, gastritis

Part used : Whole plant

Dosage:

        Leaf juice 10-15 ml

        Powder 2-4 g

        Decoction 50-100 ml

Therapeutic Uses : Leaf juice useful in digestive disorder

Health Benefits of Stevia

Antioxidant properties of S. rebaudiana

Free radicals, which are continuously formed in any organism as result of metabolic processes or exposure of various stresses, may contribute a large number of human diseases, including cancer, obesity, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases

Anti-cancer effects

Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in the world. The most common forms of cancers in 2017 were breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer. Therefore, the search for agents that may help in cancer treatment or prevention is extremely important 

Anti-inflammatory and bactericidal action of Stevia. Anti-cariogenic properties

Recent studies demonstrate that S. rebaudiana is a unique plant with anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties (Figure 3(Fig. 3)). Stevia extract inhibits the activity of many pathogenic bacteria, can be used to treat immune diseases and reduce edema

Stevia in the Treatment of Diabetes

Diabetes is a group of diseases in which insulin is either not produced in sufficient quantities (type 1 diabetes) or cannot be used effectively due to insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes). As of 2019, there were 464 million people with diabetes in the world; for comparison, in 2000, 175.4 million of patients with diabetes was recorded. According to the International Diabetes Federation, by 2040 this number will increase to 642 million (Zimmet et al., 2016[120]). About 90 % of patients are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in both developing and developed countries (Tao et al., 2015[106]; Vaiserman and Lushchak, 2019[112])

Anti-hypertension effects of Stevia

High blood pressure or hypertension is the most dangerous factor in the development of myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. It can be a separate disease or a symptom of chronic diseases of kidney and endocrine organs, some heart defects, atherosclerosis, organic lesions of the central nervous system,

Stevia effects on obesity

At present, obesity is considered to be a serious global problem, and the number of obese and overweight people continues to increase worldwide. However, obesity is not just overweight, but it is a complex disease with many metabolic complications, such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and sleep apnea.