Herbal Remedies: A Complementary Approach to Diabetes Mellitus Management

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia due to deficiencies in insulin secretion and action, or both, affecting 463 million individuals worldwide and leading to significant health complications. Current therapies focus on symptom relief and delay onset of complications; however, a multitargeted approach is essential to avert complications and achieve optimal glycemic control-utilizing herbal medications used in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. Herbal remedies have been tested on animal models to assess their efficacy in diabetes prevention and optimize glucose metabolism. A comprehensive search of scientific databases, including Medline, Scopus, EBSCO, and others, was performed. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated that the phytochemicals found in medicinal plants exhibit antihyperglycemic properties. This research examines the therapeutic properties of Coriandrum sativum, Phyllanthus emblica, Punica granatum, and Zingiber officinale, owing to their prevalent application in the studied region.

Keywords: Complementary treatment; diabetes mellitus; phytotherapy.