Phytotherapy in the Management of Diabetes: A Review

Phytotherapy has long been a source of medicinal products and over the years there have
been many attempts to use herbal medicines for the treatment of diabetes. Several medicinal plants
and their preparations have been demonstrated to act at key points of glucidic metabolism. The most
common mechanisms of action found include the inhibition of -glucosidase and of AGE formation,
the increase of GLUT-4 and PPARs expression and antioxidant activity. Despite the large amount of
literature available, the actual clinical effectiveness of medicinal plants in controlling diabetes-related
symptoms remains controversial and there is a crucial need for stronger evidence-based data. In this
review, an overview of the medicinal plants, which use in the management of diabetes is supported
by authoritative monographs, is provided. References to some species which are currently under
increasing clinical investigation are also reported.