Can Glycyrrhiza uralensis treat diabetes?

Stevia rebaudiana, also known as sweetleaf or stevia, cannot directly replace antidiabetic medications or insulin in the treatment of diabetes.

Stevia rebaudiana, also referred to as stevia, is a plant native to South America. Its leaves contain high concentrations of sweet-tasting compounds such as stevioside and rebaudioside A. These compounds are hundreds of times sweeter than sucrose but contain virtually no calories, thus they are widely used as natural sweeteners. Stevia is a traditional herbal medicine with various therapeutic properties, primarily including clearing heat and detoxifying, reducing swelling and relieving pain, and promoting diuresis to relieve urinary discomfort. However, regarding the treatment of diabetes specifically, there is no clear evidence of hypoglycemic effects. It cannot directly substitute for antidiabetic medications or insulin in treating diabetes. Although the alkaloid compounds contained in stevia may help promote insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells, thereby potentially lowering blood glucose levels, this effect is not significant and cannot replace standard diabetes treatments.

Diabetes is a chronic disease mainly associated with insufficient insulin secretion or reduced efficiency of insulin utilization by the body. Its management typically requires comprehensive lifestyle modifications, pharmacological treatment, and necessary medical supervision.