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Review
. 2021 Jan 23;10(2):216.
doi: 10.3390/plants10020216.

Plants of the Spontaneous Flora with Beneficial Action in the Management of Diabetes, Hepatic Disorders, and Cardiovascular Disease

Maria Valentina Ignat  1 , Teodora Emilia Coldea  1 , Liana Claudia Salanță  2 , Elena Mudura  1
Affiliations
Review

Plants of the Spontaneous Flora with Beneficial Action in the Management of Diabetes, Hepatic Disorders, and Cardiovascular Disease

Maria Valentina Ignat et al. Plants (Basel). .

Abstract

The current pharmacological agents advised for the management of diabetes as well as cardiovascular and hepatic diseases are subject to numerous studies for safety and efficacy. Therefore, it is worth looking into alternative therapeutic aids such as natural products of medicinal plants. By a broad review of in vitro and in vivo studies on the various dandelion, chicory, and mulberry extracts, this work highlights their bioactive compounds and therapeutic action when used as a prevention and management aid in public health such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hepatic disorders like non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Natural products of dandelion leaves and root extracts can suppress the development of liver cancer, decrease insulin resistance, and suppress total triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Recent studies on mulberry leaves extracts indicated that they could decrease palmitic acid-induced lipotoxicity, increase total cholesterol and bile acid excretion, improve superoxide dismutase expression, and improve insulin resistance. Chicory root extracts boost satiety, reverse insulin resistance, and augment lipid metabolism thanks to their contents in chicoric acid, chlorogenic acid, and polysaccharides. Taraxacum officinale L., Morus nigra L., and Cichorium intybus L. present hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic activities and are shown to be advantageous in the management of obesity, dyslipidemia, Type 2 diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases. These plants are commonly available in the European spontaneous flora and more attention could be paid to their natural products.

Keywords: cardiovascular disease; chicory; dandelion; degenerative diseases; diabetes; mulberry; non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mechanisms of action regarding dandelion’s effect in managing diabetes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mechanisms of action regarding dandelion’s effect in managing hepatic disorders.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mechanisms of action regarding dandelion’s effect for managing cardiovascular disease.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Mechanisms of action regarding mulberry’s effect in managing diabetes.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Mechanisms of action regarding mulberry’s effect in managing hepatic disorders.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Mechanisms of action regarding mulberry’s effect in managing cardiovascular disease.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Mechanisms of action regarding chicory’s effect in managing diabetes.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Mechanisms of action regarding chicory’s effect in managing hepatic disorders.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Mechanisms of action regarding chicory’s effect in managing cardiovascular disease.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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