Role of Plant-Derived Polyphenols in Reducing Oxidative Stress-Mediated Diabetic Complications

Abstract

Diabetes is a prevalent systemic disease affecting a significant proportion of the population worldwide. There is growing scientific evidence in connecting oxidative stress with the pathogenesis and development of diabetes and its secondary complications. Therefore, it seems reasonable that molecules with antioxidant activities can play an important role in the improvement of diabetes. In recent years, research showed that plant-derived polyphenols, due to their various biological properties, could be effective for the treatment of diabetes and its associated complications. In this review, we discuss the role of oxidative stress in diabetes and examine the impact of some plant-derived polyphenols with antioxidant properties, in relation to the development and progression of the disease. Several in vitro and animal studies showed that dietary plant polyphenols could modulate carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, attenuate hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance, improve adipose tissue metabolism, and alleviate oxidative stress and stress-sensitive signaling pathways and inflammatory processes. Polyphenolic compounds can also prevent the development of long-term diabetes complications including cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy. However, further investigations via human clinical studies are needed before these polyphenolic compounds can be used as therapeutic agents for reducing oxidative stress-associated diabetic complications.

Lagerstroemia Speciosa (L.) Pers Leaf Extract Attenuates Lung Tumorigenesis via Alleviating Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Apoptosis

“…Mitigation of oxidative stress is one promising strategy for chemoprevention to reduce the burden of cancer [41]. Antioxidants can overcome oxidative stress through their ability to scavenge free radicals, inhibit free-radical formation, and revise the antioxidant defense system [42]. However, due to adverse side effects associated with synthetic antioxidants, there is increasing interest in using natural antioxidants from plants instead of synthetic materials because of the ability of phytochemicals to reduce the risk of cancer without harmful side effects [43].…”

Polyphenol Profile, Antioxidant and Hypoglycemic Activity of Acalypha hispida Leaf Extract

“…Moreover, some flavonols and phenolic acids inhibit α-amylase [12] . Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants that effectively scavenge free radicals in the body, inhibiting the development of longterm diabetes complications [13] . However, there has been no previous reports on the hypoglycemic activity of A. hispida.…”

Black Elderberry Press Cake as a Source of Bioactive Ingredients Using Green-Based Extraction Approaches

“…Oxidative stress has been shown to be one of the main causes of the development of diabetes [ 43 , 44 ]. An increase in overcrowding with oxidants promotes the development of diabetes, which is the cause of a greater number of oxidative cells in diabetics than in healthy ones, i.e., higher levels of free radicals [ 45 ].…”