Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder with chronic high blood glucose levels, and it is associated with defects in insulin secretion, insulin resistance, or both. It is also a major public issue, affecting the world's population. This disease contributes to long-term health complications such as dysfunction and failure of multiple organs, including nerves, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and eyes. Flavonoids are phenolic compounds found in nature and usually present as secondary metabolites in plants, vegetables, and fungi. Flavonoids possess many health benefits such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, and naturally occurring flavonoids contribute to antidiabetic effects.Many studies conducted in vivo and in vitro have proven the hypoglycemic effect of plant flavonoids. A large number of studies showed that flavonoids hold positive results in controlling the blood glucose level in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and further prevent the complications of diabetes. The future development of flavonoid-based drugs is believed to provide significant effects on diabetes mellitus and diabetes complication diseases. This review aims at summarizing the various types of flavonoids that function as hyperglycemia regulators such as inhibitors of α-glucosidase and glucose cotransporters in the body. This review article discusses the hypoglycemic effects of selected plant flavonoids namely quercetin, kaempferol, rutin, naringenin, fisetin, and morin. Four search engines, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and SciFinder, are used to collect the data.
Highlights
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a significant concern affecting the world, with a tremendous increase in cases over the years.e prevalence of DM has been increasing worldwide, especially within countries of low- to middle-income status
Complex metabolic disorder in the endocrine system is the cause of DM, and it was characterized by hyperglycemia and hindrance in the metabolism of protein, carbohydrates, and lipid resulting from either impairment or destruction of insulin action and insulin-secreting pancreatic β-cells in target tissues, or both insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM, type 1) and noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM, type 2), which are the two main types of diabetes
Several flavonoids have shown their GLUT2 inhibition effects with one of the recent studies revealing that three homoisoflavonoids of the sappanin type (SAP) purified from the Polygonatum odoratum (Mill.) Druce roots, another well-known Chinese traditional medicine, showed potent GLUT2 inhibitory effects [20]
Summary
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a significant concern affecting the world, with a tremendous increase in cases over the years. Flavonoids either are absorbed in the small intestine or progress to the colon It largely depends on the flavonoid structure, whether it is a glycoside or an aglycone. After being absorbed in the small intestine, the flavonoids are further conjugated by the largest metabolizing organ, the liver, through processes such as methylation, sulfation, glucuronidation, and sulfation into smaller phenolic and hydrophilic compounds for easier excretion and distribution in the bloodstream [25]. Is is because studies have shown that flavonoids are capable of inhibiting carbohydrate digestions and glucose absorptions, along with the regulation of insulin secretions via multiple signaling pathways [26]. Several flavonoids have shown their GLUT2 inhibition effects with one of the recent studies revealing that three homoisoflavonoids of the sappanin type (SAP) purified from the Polygonatum odoratum (Mill.) Druce roots, another well-known Chinese traditional medicine, showed potent GLUT2 inhibitory effects [20]. Not forgetting, GLUT7, which is of high affinity for both glucose and fructose, expressed high levels in the ileum responsible for sugar uptake at the end of a meal when sugar concentrations gradually decrease [41]
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