Analysis of Traditional Korean Herbal Remedies Hwangryunhaedok -tang and Gamroeum for the Mitigation of Type 2 Diabetes with Drosophila Melanogaster

Overview

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), a progressive chronic disease of the endocrine system, is among the most commonly diagnosed disorders today. Due to the limitations of current treatments, this work explores therapeutic interventions for T2D with alternative medicine , drawing insights from Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) practices. While research in TKM is continuously expanding, particularly in the sphere of T2D, previous research is often limited in its assays and high variability. Thus, to contribute to the growing necessity of novel treatments and validation, this study employs an in vivo analysis of T2D with the model organism Drosophila melanogaster to investigate two herbal prescriptions, Hwangryunhaedok -tang (HRHDT) and Gamroeum (GRO). Reviewing the literature, there is an increasing popularity of Drosophila melanogaster as a model for pharmaceutical assays due to its unique ability to mirror the complexities of human disease and composition — especially in endocrine disorders — as well as its relatively affordable maintenance and availability of tools. Employing the widely accepted high -sugar diet to induce T2D and insulin resistance in Drosophila, the remedies were analyzed on indices of survival, pupa development, fertility, negative geotaxis scales, and body length. Based on these assays, HRHDT significantly improved the high -sugar induced abnormalities by increasing lifespan, individual size, and fertility. GRO also increased survival and fertility to a lesser degree. Providing in vivo evidence of the clini cal viability and benefits of HRHDT for the mitigation of T2D, the present study ultimately supports the role of the herbal mixtures in improving the adverse effects of insulin resistance. Florida