Herbal Therapeutics for Gestational Disorders (Diabetes, Hypertension, Anxiety)
Corresponding author: [email protected]
Abstract
Pregnancy requires extensive physiological adjustments across multiple organ systems to support maternal adaptation and fetal development. Despite their essential role, these changes can increase susceptibility to gestational disorders such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), gestational hypertension (GH) and gestational anxiety, all of which are associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Conventional pharmacological therapies remain the preferred treatment because of their demonstrated efficacy and established safety profiles; however, growing interest in complementary medicine has encouraged investigation of herbal medicines as supportive treatment options during pregnancy. This chapter reviews the principal mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of these gestational disorders and evaluates the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants. Evidence suggests that herbs such as Pterocarpus marsupium and Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) may improve glycaemic control, while other botanicals possess antihypertensive and anxiolytic properties that could assist in managing gestational hypertension and anxiety. The chapter also examines the comparative advantages and limitations of herbal and conventional therapies and their potential roles in clinical management.
Author Affiliations
- 1 Veer Madho Singh Bhandari Uttarakhand Technical University, Dehradun, India.