Review of Antidiabetic Medicinal Plants

Abstract

It is a fact that diabetes can it be cured and it has never been reported that someone had recovered totally from diabetes. The rapidly increasing incidence of diabetes mellitus is becoming a serious threat to mankind's health in all parts of the world. Moreover, during the past few years, some of the new bioactive drugs isolated from plants showed antidiabetic activity with more efficacy than oral hypoglycemic agents used in clinical therapy. Traditional medicine performed a good clinical practice and is showing a bright future in the therapy of diabetes mellitus. The present paper reviews natural medicines with their mechanism of action and their pharmacological test results. Many studies have confirmed the benefits of medicinal plants with hypoglycemic effects in the management of diabetes mellitus. The effects of these plants may delay the development of diabetic complications and correct metabolic abnormalities. WHO has pointed out that this prevention of diabetes and its complications is not only a major challenge for the future but essential if health for all is to attain. Therefore, in recent years, considerable attention has been directed toward the identification of plants with antidiabetic ability that may be used for human consumption. Further, it emphasizes strongly in this regard the optional and rational uses of traditional and natural indigenous medicines.