Garcia published the first research on banaba's insulinlike, hypoglycemic effect as early as 1940 (14) (15) (16) (17) (18) . Later, the popular use of banaba in the Philippines was noticed and led to its introduction in Japan. However, it was not until 50 years after Garcia's first publication that scientific interest in banaba's potential for the treatment of diabetes resurfaced. Scientists from countries including Japan, the Philippines, Korea and the United States are currently studying banaba. Lagerstroemia speciosa (banaba) has become relatively popular in the form of health-promoting tea products in Eastern Asia and the United States.