Gurmar or Gymnema Sylvestre is a climbing plant belonging to the Apocynaceae family, a popular herb in Ayurveda valued for its indispensable healing properties. It is a perennial woody wine that is indigenous to tropical regions of India, Africa and Australia. The leaves are elongated, oval-shaped that have soft hairs on the surface bearing small yellow flowers that bloom all through the year. The leaves of gudmar are imbued with gymnemic acids, a potent bioactive compound.

This amazing herb is known as Madhunashini in Sanskrit, Gurmar or Gudmar in Hindi, all of which literally means one that destroys sugar. It is a key herb in several ayurvedic formulations such as Ayaskrti, Varunadi kasaya, Varunadighritam, Mahakalyanakaghrtam, etc. In the Indian sub-continent, this herb goes by the name Gurmar, Kavali, kalikardori, Dhuleti, mardashingi, Shirukurum Kaay, Shakkaraikkolli, Podapatri, Sannagerasehambu, Kadhasige, Kannu Minnayamkodi, Passaam, Shirukurinja, and Gurmaar Buuti Gymnema Sylvestre, classically known as Gurmar.