The Medicinal Pancreas

This piece complements the medicinal botanicals collection, with focus being one very important medication for diabetes:

Galega officinalis is also known as goat’s rue and is the plant from which the medication metformin was derived. Metformin is the most prescribed anti-diabetic medication in the world.

The plant is found in meadows and open woodland across Europe and into Pakistan. Its medicinal properties have been noted as far back as the 1500s, when it was documented to have helped against the plague, venoms, poisons, and even epilepsy. Its reputation as a cure-all began to be viewed with increasing scepticism, and it appeared less frequently in literature over the years.

In the early 1900s, a chemical called guanidine, which was found in the plant, was shown to improve symptoms of diabetes, but it was too toxic for human use. In 1927, less toxic alkaloids from the plant were discovered, including galegine, but these were unsuccessful in treating diabetes. Later, synthetic diguanides were successful in treating diabetes, but they were still toxic and less effective than insulin.

In 1956, Jean Sterne carried out further studies into biguanides, including metformin, which was introduced into the UK in 1958. It works by reducing resistance to insulin within cells around the body and by reducing sugar production by the liver. Metformin is now synthesised artificially.

Galega officinalis does not have a licence in the UK for use as a herbal medicine due to its toxicity.

Hand signed, giclée print on 310 gsm Museum Heritage acid-free paper, meeting the highest museum quality archival standards.

Size is A3 (420 x297mm or 11.7 x16.5 inches).

This is a limited edition with only 30 available.

Shipping is usually within 1 week and sent next day special delivery, tracked and signed for. The art is carefully packed in a solid cardboard tube and wrapped in acid-free paper.

COLLECTION - if you are local to Hitchin and would prefer to collect, please send me a direct message.

Care Advice

Please keep the print out of direct sunlight and frame under acrylic or glass protection (ideally UV protected) to avoid deterioration in pigments.

Please make sure your hands are clean and remove the print carefully from the packaging.