Natural Products for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by persistent hyperglycemia. High blood sugar can produce long-term complications such as cardiovascular and renal disorders, retinopathy, and poor blood flow. Its development can be prevented or delayed in people with impaired glucose tolerance by implementing lifestyle changes or the use of therapeutic agents. Some of these drugs have been obtained from plants or have a microbial origin, such as galegine isolated from Galega officinalis, which has a great similarity to the antidiabetic drug metformin. Picnogenol, acarbose, miglitol, and voglibose are other antidiabetic products of natural origin. This review compiles the principal articles on medicinal plants used for treating diabetes and its comorbidities, as well as mechanisms of natural products as antidiabetic agents. Inhibition of ?-glucosidase and ?-amylase, effects on glucose uptake and glucose transporters, modification of mechanisms mediated by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B activity, modification of gene expression, and activities of hormones involved in glucose homeostasis such as adiponectin, resistin, and incretin, and reduction of oxidative stress are some of the mechanisms in which natural products are involved. We also review the most relevant clinical trials performed with medicinal plants and natural products such as aloe, banaba, bitter melon, caper, cinnamon, cocoa, coffee, fenugreek, garlic, guava, gymnema, nettle, sage, soybean, green and black tea, turmeric, walnut, and yerba mate. Compounds of high interest as potential antidiabetics are: fukugetin, palmatine, berberine, honokiol, amorfrutins, trigonelline, gymnemic acids, gurmarin, and phlorizin.

Potent Natural Inhibitors of Alpha-Glucosidase and Alpha-Amylase against Hyperglycemia <em>in Vitro </em>and <em>in Vivo</em>

“…The active ingredients of high interest as potential anti-diabetics are: fukugetin, palmatine, berberine, honokiol, amorfrutins, trigonelline, gymnemic acids, gurmarin, and phlorizin. [23] To the best of our knowledge, the constituents from those natural sources whether are targeted to the alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase still unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate anti-diabetic natural compounds from natural sources with inhibitory properties against alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase via the cellular and mouse levels.…”

A Review on Anti-diabetic Plants

“…45 Galegine (7) was isolated from the plant exhibited a great similarity in activity to the anti-diabetic drug metformin. 46 Glycine soja, Mucuna pruriens, and Dolichos biflorus: When normal albino rats were fed G. soja, M. pruriens, and D. biflorus in diets, blood sugar was found to be lowered by 29.6%, 39.0% and 42.0% respectively (1968). 47 …”

Strategies in the Design of Antidiabetic Drugs from <em>Terminalia Chebula Retz.</em> Using <em>in silico</em> and <em>in vitro</em> Approach

“…The reason behind that these natural agents are easily available, it has very low costs and the most important unavailability of conventional antidiabetic drugs [8]. Herbal drugs are needed to be standardized, ensured for its quality, safety and reproducibility [9].…”