Volume : 13, Issue : 01, January – 2026
Title:
ANTIDIABETIC POTENTIAL OF MEDICINAL PLANTS
Authors :
Miss: Pradnya Gokul Babar, Dr.Naziya Tamboli
Abstract :
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The global prevalence of diabetes is increasing rapidly, leading to serious health and economic burdens. Although several synthetic antidiabetic drugs are available, their long-term use is often associated with adverse effects and high cost. Medicinal plants have been traditionally used in the management of diabetes due to their safety, affordability, and therapeutic efficacy. Various medicinal plants exhibit antidiabetic activity through multiple mechanisms such as stimulation of insulin secretion, enhancement of glucose uptake, inhibition of carbohydratedigesting enzymes, and antioxidant effects. This review highlights commonly used medicinal plants with antidiabetic potential, their active constituents, mechanisms of action, advantages, limitations, and future prospects in diabetes management. Traditional systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and folk medicine have long utilized medicinal plants for the treatment of diabetes. Numerous medicinal plants, including Gymnema sylvestre, Momordica charantia, Syzygium cumini, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Salacia reticulata, and Tinospora cordifolia, have demonstrated significant antidiabetic activity in in vitro and in vivo experimental models. These plants exert their effects through multiple mechanisms, such as stimulation of insulin secretion, enhancement of insulin sensitivity, inhibition of carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, reduction of oxidative stress, and protection of pancreatic β-cells.
Keywords: Antidiabetic activity, Medicinal plants, Diabetes mellitus, Herbal drugs, Phytochemicals
Cite This Article:
Please cite this article in press Pradnya Gokul Babar et al., Antidiabetic Potential Of Medicinal Plants , Indo Am. J. P. Sci, 2026; 13(01).
REFERENCES:
1. American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care, 2014; 37(S1): S81–S90. 2. Rang HP et al. Pharmacology, Elsevier, 2015.
3. Zimmet P et al. Nature, 2001; 414: 782–787.
4. International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 9th ed., 2019. 5. Hu FB. New England Journal of Medicine, 2011; 365: 883–891.
6. Bommer C et al. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinology, 2017; 5(6): 423–430. 7. Katzung BG. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, 2018.
8. Bailey CJ, Turner RC. New England Journal of Medicine, 1996; 334: 574– 579. 9. Nathan DM et al. Diabetes Care, 2009; 32(1): 193–203.
10. 10.Eddouks M et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2014; 152: 475– 493. 11. 11.Grover JK et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2002; 81: 81–100. 12. 12.World Health Organization. WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy, 2014. 13. 13.Patel DK et al. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 2012; 1(4): 17– 29.
14. 14.Modak M et al. Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition, 2007; 40: 163– 173.
15. 15.Kumar S et al. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, 2012; 5: 934–943. 16. 16.Tiwari AK, Rao JM. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2002; 81: 155– 165. 17. 17.Jung M et al. Archives of Pharmacal Research, 2006; 29: 81–90.
18. 18.Baynes JW. Diabetes, 1991; 40: 405–412.
19. 19.Rahimi R et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2005; 102: 1–13.
20. 20.Marles RJ, Farnsworth NR. Phytomedicine, 1995; 2: 137–189.
21. 21.Pandey A, Tripathi P. IJPSRR, 2014; 25(2): 224–232.
22. 22.Patwardhan B et al. Current Science, 2004; 86: 789–799.
23. 23.Li WL et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2004; 92: 1–23.
24. 24.Ekor M. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2014; 4: 177.
25. 25.Atkinson MA, Eisenbarth GS. Lancet, 2001; 358: 221–229.
26. 26.DeFronzo RA. Diabetes, 2009; 58: 773–795.
27. 27.Pari L, Umamaheswari J. Journal of Applied Biomedicine, 2000; 28: 215–221. 28. 28.Bnouham M et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2006; 105: 1–28. 29. 29.Shanmugasundaram ERB et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 1990; 30: 295– 300.
30. 30.Baskaran K et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 1990; 30: 295– 305. 31. 31.Xie JT et al. Phytomedicine, 2005; 12: 166–174.
32. 32.Kim JH. Journal of Ginseng Research, 2012; 36: 190–203.
33. 33.Stanely Mainzen Prince P et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2000; 73: 461– 470.
34. 34.Mathew S, Kuttan G. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 1999; 67: 281– 286. 35. 35.Jung M et al. Archives of Pharmacal Research, 2006; 29: 81–90.
36. 36.Bailey CJ, Day C. Diabetes Care, 1989; 12: 553–564.
37. 37.Grover JK, Yadav SP. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2004; 93: 123– 132. 38. 38.Raman A, Lau C. Phytotherapy Research, 1996; 10: 78–80.
39. 39.Sharma RD et al. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1990; 44: 40. 40.301–. 306.
41. 41.Gupta A et al. Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders, 2014; 13:45. 42. 42.Biswas K et al. Current Science, 2002; 82: 1336–1345.
43. 43.Chattopadhyay RR. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 1999; 67: 373– 376. 44. 44.Rai V et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 1997; 55: 39–44.
45. 45.Pattanayak P et al. Pharmacognosy Reviews, 2010; 4: 95–105.
46. 46.Marles RJ, Farnsworth NR. Phytomedicine, 1995; 2: 137–189.
47. 47.Thomson M et al. Journal of Nutrition, 2007; 137: 417–423.
48. 48.Rajasekaran S et al. Journal of Medicinal Food, 2004; 7: 61–66.
49. 49.Eddouks M et al. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2014; 152: 475– 493.
50.Rai V, Iyer U, Mani UV. Effect of Ocimum sanctum leaf powder supplementation on blood sugar levels. J Ethnopharmacol. 1997;55:39– 4
51. 51.Izzo AA, Ernst E. Interactions between herbal medicines and prescribed drugs. 52. Drugs. 2001;61:2163–2175.
. 52.Yoshikawa M, Murakami T, Shimada H, et al. Salacinol, potent antidiabetic principle with α-glucosidase inhibitory activity from Salacia reticulata. Chem Pharm Bull. 1998;46:1339–1340.
53.Ravi K, Ramachandran B, Subramanian S. Effect of Syzygium cumini seed extract on insulin sensitivity. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004;91:109–113.
54.Kesari AN, Gupta RK, Singh SK, Diwakar S, Watal G. Hypoglycemic effects of plant extracts in experimental diabetes. J Ethnopharmacol. 2006;108:347–352.
55.Szkudelski T. The mechanism of alloxan and streptozotocin action in β-cells. Physiol Res. 2001;50:537– 546
56.Baskaran K, Kizar Ahamath B, Shanmugasundaram KR, Shanmugasundaram ERB. Antidiabetic effect of Gymnema sylvestre. J Ethnopharmacol. 1990;30:295–305.
57.Heinrich M, Barnes J, Gibbons S, Williamson EM. Fundamentals of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy. Churchill Livingstone; 2012.




