Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an ensemble of metabolic diseases that has reached pandemic dimensions all over the world. The multifactorial nature of the pathology makes patient management, which includes lifelong drug therapy and lifestyle modification, extremely challenging. It is well known that T2DM is a preventable disease, therefore lowering the incidence of new T2DM cases could be a key strategy to reduce the global impact of diabetes. Currently, there is growing evidence on the efficacy of the use of medicinal plants supplements for T2DM prevention and management. Among these medicinal plants, curcumin is gaining a growing interest in the scientific community. Curcumin is a bioactive molecule present in the rhizome of the Curcuma longa plant, also known as turmeric. Curcumin has different pharmacological and biological effects that have been described by both in vitro and in vivo studies, and include antioxidant, cardio-protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, nephro-protective, anti-neoplastic, hepato-protective, immunomodulatory, hypoglycaemic and anti-rheumatic effects. In animal models, curcumin extract delays diabetes development, improves β-cell functions, prevents β-cell death, and decreases insulin resistance. The present review focuses on pre-clinical and clinical trials on curcumin supplementation in T2DM and discusses the peculiar mechanisms by which curcumin might ameliorate diabetes management.
Highlights
Diabetes has reached pandemic dimensions, affecting over 400 million people worldwide [1], and it is becoming relevant in developing countries
It is well known that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a preventable disease, lowering the incidence of new T2DM cases could be a key strategy to reduce the global impact of diabetes
The present review focuses on pre-clinical and clinical trials on curcumin supplementation in T2DM and discusses the peculiar mechanisms by which curcumin might ameliorate diabetes management
Summary
Diabetes has reached pandemic dimensions, affecting over 400 million people worldwide [1], and it is becoming relevant in developing countries. The preferred therapies for T2DM treatment include the use of anti-diabetic drugs, lifestyle intervention (healthy nutrition and daily physical activity) and monitoring of arterial pressure and lipid profile. A rigorous prevention should be addressed to people with pre-diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, who are at high risk of T2DM development. Such prevention encompasses lifestyle modifications, such as starting from a healthy diet and daily physical activity. There is growing evidence on the efficacy of the use of medical plant supplements for T2DM prevention and management [6,7,8]. The present review analyses the role of curcumin in T2DM prevention and treatment, focusing on the preclinical and clinical trials
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
