New Delhi, Jun 27 (IANS): Dysfunction of glucose metabolism resulting in hyperglycaemia, a high blood sugar level, has been found in 14.4 per cent of patients who survived coronavirus, according to a global study published in the Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism Journal.

With India's total caseload rose to 3,02,33,183 and achieving the third highest vaccination number,after China and the US, the challenge for health authorities now is to counter the onset of diabetes in post-Covid patients.

They say the fight against hyperglycaemia can be countered with ayurvedic formulations like CSIR-developed BGR-34.

The formulation is based on natural bioactive compounds with Dipeptidyl-peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitory effects to manage blood glucose levels.

Quoting a recent study in the Elsevier journal, they said it has shown DPP-4 inhibitors to be most safe to tackle post-Covid hyperglycaemia.

The researchers who conducted the study said every patient admitted to a Covid care facility should be investigated for hyperglycaemia on the day of admission itself.

What is BGR-34 all about? BGR-34 is an ayurvedic-derived product for the management of diabetes. It includes natural bioactive compounds of herbal plant Daruharidra with DPP-4 inhibitory effect.

It has been developed by two labs of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) -- the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP).

The post-Covid hyperglycaemia has symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting and shortness of breath.

The condition is caused by the virus by damaging pancreatic beta cells leading to insufficient insulin production in the body. The increasing number of this condition among post-Covid patients is not good for India, a home to one in six people with diabetes in the world.

According to a research published in the Journal of Drug Research, the primary source of DPP-4 inhibitor is the herbal plant Daruharidra.

A.K.S. Rawat, a scientist with the Lucknow-based NBRI, which developed BGR-34, said a key ingredient of the ayurvedic formulation is Daruharidra.

Besides Daruharidra, BGR-34 has other herbal elements also that can keep hyperglycaemia in check. Gymnemic acid sourced from Gudmaar medicinal plant and Trigonoside IB found in fenugreek that control hyperglycaemia are present in BGR-34, AIMIL Pharmaceuticals executive director Sanchit Sharma told IANS.

The company produces the CSIR-developed BGR-34 ayurvedic formulation.

Giloy, Vijaysaar and Majeeth, all known for their anti-diabetic properties, are also present in BGR-34, said Rawat.

He said the power of ayurveda has once again been established by several studies that indicate the efficacy of bioactive compounds produced by plants in treatment of post-Covid new onset diabetes.