Abstract
Given the growing number of type 2 diabetic individuals and the substantial social and financial costs associated with diabetes management, every effort should be made to improve its prevention and treatment methods. There is an ongoing search for natural dietary compounds that could be used for this purpose. This narrative review focuses on the therapeutic potential of isoflavones in diabetes prevention and treatment. This review summarizes (i) the molecular mechanisms of isoflavones action that are critical to their anti-diabetic properties; (ii) preclinical (in vitro and in vivo) studies evaluating the influence of isoflavones on the function of key organs involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes; and (iii) epidemiological studies and clinical trials that assessed the effectiveness of isoflavones in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes in humans. Apart from discussing the effects of isoflavones on the function of organs “classically” associated with the pathogenesis of diabetes (pancreas, liver, muscles, and adipose tissue), the impact of these compounds on other organs that contribute to the glucose homeostasis (gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and brain) is also reviewed.
Highlights
According to data from the World Health Organization and International DiabetesFoundation, one tenth of adults around the world suffer from diabetes, and among people over 65, this rises to one fifth
With the world struggling in the face of an obesity pandemic, the number of people suffering from Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is growing every year, since diabetes is a common metabolic complication of obesity
Given the social and financial costs associated with the management of diabetes itself and diabetes-associated disability, every effort should be made to improve the methods of its prevention and treatment
Summary
Foundation, one tenth of adults around the world suffer from diabetes, and among people over 65, this rises to one fifth. According to the ominous octet concept, accelerated lipolysis in adipose tissue, disturbed incretin secretion, hyperglucagonemia caused by α-cell dysfunction, increased glucose reabsorption in kidneys, and abnormal brain response to insulin all contribute to the development of hyperglycemia [3]. The compound of interest should exert a pleiotropic effect on the number of cells and tissues This narrative review discusses whether isoflavones—plant-derived dietary compounds—influence the function of key organs involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes and how these effects may translate to clinical practice. Apart from discussing the effects of these compounds on the function of organs “classically” associated with the pathogenesis of T2D (pancreas, liver, muscles, and adipose tissue), their impact on other organs that are crucial for glucose homeostasis maintenance (gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and brain) is reviewed. Even though this review does not meet the rigorous criteria of a systematic one and may include an element of selection bias, it describes and summarizes several concepts regarding the mechanisms of isoflavones action that could be applied in T2D prevention and treatment
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