Traditional Medicine and Its Role in the Management of Diabetes Mellitus: “Patients’ and Herbalists’ Perspectives”

Table 4

Sources of traditional medicines and practices regarding the use of traditional medicines among participants who answered the questionnaire (N=140).

Questions and responses	n	%
Source of traditional medicine
Traditional medicine vendors/herbalists	44	31.4
Other patients, relatives and friends	50	35.7
Did not use traditional medicine	46	32.9
Traditional medicine preparation
Used in raw form by chewing or making as juice	16	11.4
Dried, blended and mixed with milk or tea	30	21.4
Boiled or soaked in water, and decanted the liquid	48	34.3
Did not use traditional medicine	46	32.9
Frequency of using traditional medicines
Twice per day	40	28.6
Three or more times per day	41	29.3
When their blood glucose level rises	13	9.3
Did not use traditional medicine	46	32.9