Medicinal Plants and Their Active Phytoconstituents Used in the Management of Diabetes Mellitus: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a rapidly escalating global health crisis, characterised by chronic hyperglycaemia and associated with severe complications such as cardiovascular disease, nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy. Despite advances in pharmacological therapies, long, term disease control remains challenging due to cost, side effects, and limited accessibility. This has renewed scientific interest in medicinal plants and their phytoconstituents, which have been traditionally used in diabetes management and offer multi, targeted therapeutic potential. Objective: This comprehensive review aims to critically evaluate the pharmacological efficacy, molecular mechanisms, and clinical relevance of medicinal plants and their active phytochemicals used in the prevention and management of diabetes mellitus. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Scopus using combinations of keywords such as “medicinal plants,” “phytochemicals,” “antidiabetic activity,” and “diabetes mellitus.” Studies published between 2010 and 2025 were screened for relevance, quality, and completeness. Out of 40 initially identified articles, 10 met the inclusion criteria and were synthesised. Data were analysed and categorised based on primary mechanisms of action, including insulin modulation, glucose metabolism regulation, oxidative stress reduction, and enzyme inhibition. Results: Numerous plant species exhibited potent antidiabetic activity across in vitro and in vivo models. Extracts from Afzelia africana, Helicteres angustifolia, Urtica dioica, Aloe vera, and Symplocos cochinchinensis significantly lowered blood glucose, enhanced insulin secretion, improved receptor sensitivity, and reduced oxidative stress. Key phytochemicals such as quercetin, ferulic acid, ursolic acid, rutin, and resveratrol demonstrated multifaceted effects, including α, glucosidase inhibition, β, cell regeneration, GLUT4 translocation, and modulation of NF, κB and Nrf2 pathways. Despite robust preclinical evidence, clinical translation remains limited due to challenges in standardisation, bioavailability, and large, scale validation. Conclusion: Medicinal plants and their bioactive constituents offer a promising, multi, targeted approach to diabetes management. By modulating glucose homeostasis, insulin dynamics, oxidative stress, and inflammation, these phytotherapeutics provide significant potential as complementary or alternative therapies. Future research should prioritise standardised extract development, clinical validation, and mechanistic elucidation to facilitate integration into modern diabetes care.