J Ethnopharmacol. 2017 Feb 28. pii: S0378-8741(16)32305-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.02.031. [Epub ahead of print]
- 1Department
of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical
Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100,
Copenhagen, Denmark.
- 2Department of Drug Design and
Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of
Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Electronic address: anna.jager@sund.ku.dk.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:
Type
2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and its prevalence is
rapidly increasing throughout the world. Modifications of lifestyle such
as suitable diet and exercise programs along with pharmacotherapy and
education of patients are beneficial therapies for patients with type 2
diabetes. The ethnopharmacological use of herbal medicines, many of them
part of our diet as spices, vegetables and fruits, has been developed
for the treatment of diabetes due to inexpensiveness, easy availability
and few side effects.
AIM OF THE STUDY:
Our
aim is to present a review for researchers who are interested in the
biologically active dietary plants traditionally utilized in the
treatment of diabetes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Information
was obtained from a literature search of electronic databases such as
Google Scholar, Pubmed, Sci Finder and Cochrane. Common and scientific
name of the fruits, vegetables, beverages, oils and spices and the words
'antidiabetic', 'hypoglycemic', 'anti-hyperglycemic', 'type 2 diabetes'
were used as keywords for search.
RESULTS:
Certain
fruits and vegetables are functional foods and their consumption
reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes. Hypoglycemic effects of fruits
and vegetables may be due to their inducing nature on pancreatic
β-cells for insulin secretion, or bioactive compounds such as
flavonoids, alkaloids and anthocyanins, which act as insulin-like
molecules or insulin secretagogues.
CONCLUSION:
This
write-up covers hypoglycemic, anti-hyperglycemic and anti-diabetic
activities of some dietary fruits, vegetables, beverages, oils and
spices and their active hypoglycemic constituents. Including such plant
species in the diet might improve management of type 2 diabetes.
Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.
KEYWORDS:
Antidiabetic; anti-hyperglycemic; hypoglycemic; type 2 diabetes; β-cell
