Indian Medicinal Plants used in Diabetes Mellitus: An Overview

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the commonest endocrine disorder that affects more than 100 million people worldwide (6% of the population). It is caused by the deficiency or ineffective production of insulin by pancreas which results in increase or decrease in concentrations of glucose in the blood. It is found to damage many of the body systems, particularly the blood vessels and nerves both insulin-dependent DM (IDDM) and non-insulin dependent DM (NIDDM) is a common and serious metabolic disorder throughout the world. In India, diabetes has been known for a long time, but its incidence is not of the same magnitude across the subcontinent. Medicinal herbs as potential source of therapeutic aids have attained a significant role in health system all over the world for both humans and animals. Traditional treatments have mostly disappeared in occidental societies, but some are prescribed by practitioner alternative medicine or taken by patients as supplements to conventional therapy. However, plant remedies are the mainstay of treatment in underdeveloped regions. A hypoglycaemic action from some treatments has been confirmed in animal models and dependent diabetic patients, and various hypoglycaemic compounds have been identified. Traditional medicines derived from medicinal plants are used by about 60% of the world’s population. This review focuses on Indian herbal drugs and plants used in the treatment of diabetes, especially in India. Keywords: D iabetes mellitus, hypoglycaemic, antidiabetic plants Cite this Article Shinde S.A., Chavhan S.A., Sapkal S.B. et al. Indian Medicinal Plants used in Diabetes Mellitus: An Overview. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Pharmacognosy . 2017; 4(1): 1–10p