Gymnema (Gymnema sylvestre), called gurmar in Hindi, is a woody climbing vine of the dogbane family, Apocynaceae, native to the forests of central and southern India, Sri Lanka and tropical Africa. It climbs with slender stems, opposite oval leaves that are softly hairy beneath, and small yellow flowers in umbels. Chewing a leaf blanks out the taste of sweetness for an hour or two, a sensory quirk that gives the Hindi name meaning "sugar destroyer". We extract the dried leaf.
Tincture or alcohol-free drops?
Both start from the same dried plant material and cold maceration. The tincture uses organic alcohol
as the solvent, keeps for years and is the classic herbal form. The alcohol-free drops (glycerite) use
vegetable glycerin and purified water, taste mildly sweet and suit anyone avoiding alcohol. The amount of
dried herb per serving is printed on each label.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose,
treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your healthcare provider before using any herbal supplement.