Herbal Medicines in the Management of Diabetes Mellitus: Plants, Bioactive Compounds, and Mechanisms of Action

Abstract

In recent years, herbal medicines (HMs) have been gaining significant attention as alternative or complementary therapeutic options. This is because synthetic drugs are expensive and have side effects, but also because herbal medicines have a rich content of effective bioactive compounds. These natural agents have been widely investigated for their potential in the prevention and management of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disorders, infections, metabolic disorders, neurological disorders, inflammatory disorders digestive diseases, oxidative stress-related diseases, and diabetes mellitus. In this review, we highlight the roles and impacts of various medicinal plants originating from diverse families, showing their bioactive characteristics, and the mechanisms through which they exert antidiabetic effects by regulating insulin secretion, oxidative stress, glucose uptake, and inflammatory pathways. In contrast to previous reviews, our study highlights the role of plants that are less explored, and integrates recent findings as well as future directions and biotechnological applications in plant-based management of diabetes.