Medicinal Plant Formulations For The Prevention And Management Of Diabetes: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a multifactorial metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia resulting from impaired insulin secretion, insulin resistance, or both. The rapidly increasing global burden of diabetes poses a significant challenge to public health systems, highlighting the need for safer, cost-effective, and sustainable therapeutic approaches. Medicinal plants have long been utilized in traditional medicine for the prevention and management of diabetes, owing to their diverse bioactive compounds and relatively low incidence of side effects.

This review comprehensively explores the role of medicinal plant formulations in diabetes prevention and management, with a focus on their phytochemical constituents, pharmacological activities, and underlying mechanisms of action. Plant-derived compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and phenolics have been reported to exert antidiabetic effects through multiple pathways, including enhancement of insulin secretion, improvement of insulin sensitivity, stimulation of glucose uptake via glucose transporter proteins, inhibition of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes, and attenuation of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Furthermore, recent advancements in phytopharmacology, formulation technologies, and nanotechnology-based delivery systems have improved the efficacy and bioavailability of plant-based therapeutics. Despite substantial preclinical evidence supporting their antidiabetic potential, the translation of these findings into clinical practice remains limited due to insufficient clinical trials, lack of standardization, and variability in plant preparations.