Diabetes mellitus comprises a group of ethiologically and clinically heterogeneous disorders with a common set of symptoms: excessive thirst and hunger, muscular weakness, weight loss, excessive urination and elevation of the blood glucose level among others. There has been a striking emergence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus as a major health problem in populations undergoing modernization of life-style, both in developed and underdeveloped nations. Many species of plants have been used ethnopharmacologically or experimentally to treat symptons of diabetes mellitus. The high percentage of active plants probably reflects, at least in part, the great variety of possible active constituents and mechanisms of action. The wide diversity of chemical classes indicate a variety of mechanisms must be involved in the lowering of the blood glucose level. Some of these compounds may have therapeutic potential, while others may produce hypoglycemia as a side-effect of their toxicity, specially hepatotoxicity. The present article is an actualized review of hypoglicemic medicinal plants and their active constituents.
Diabetes mellitus; Hypoglicemic plants; Hypoglicemic activity of compounds
