Semut jepang belum terbukti secara ilmiah untuk digunakan sebagai obat diabetes.
dr. R.Bowo Pramono, Sp.PD. KEMD(K).
Japanese ants are often used by society to cure diabetes. It is believed to be able to reduce the sugar level in patient’s blood.
dr. R.Bowo Pramono, Sp.PD. KEMD(K), lecturer in internal disease of Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), said the Japanese ant cannot yet be confirmed for its benefits and safety to treat diabetes. There is no scientific evidence so far related to this matter.
"There is no scientific testing nor clinical testing on the benefit of Japanese ant for human health, including for diabetes treatment,” said Bowo Pramono on Tuesday (16/2) in the diabetes clinic of Dr. Sardjito General Hospital.
Bowo said in diabetes therapy, the treatment is to reduce the high sugar level in the blood. Therapies include insulin therapy to increase insulin sensitivity caused by lack of insulin, also drugs to prevent sugar from entering the blood for patients that are resistant against insulin.
"When consuming the Japanese ant, people may feel bloated and unwanting to eat as a result. Automatically, the sugar level decreases. This might be the cause for the ant therapy," he said.
On whether patients have damaged intestines due to the Japanese ants, Bowo said this needed further research. There are many possibilities for such things to happen.
Bowo said diabetes was uncurable, but controllable through insulin therapy or medicines. A healthy life style is also important, having regular meals according to need, having balanced nutrition, and doing physical activity a minimum of 30 minutes each day.
Bowo called on the people to take extra care when choosing herbal medicine for diabetes. They need to ensure that it is scientifically beneficial. "Please go on with herbal medicine. But, you need to take care that those medicines are scientifically tested and there is guarantee and benefits for the body,” he said.