Antidiabetic Medicinal Plants and Herbal Treatments

Diabetes is a chronic condition associated with metabolic disorder. Persons suffering from diabetes have shown accelerated levels of blood sugar which often harms the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Over the past few decades, the prevalence of diabetes has been progressively increasing. Synthetic drugs are used to treat diabetic patients to help control the disorder, but it is shown that numerous medicinal plants and herbal drugs are widely used in several traditional systems of medicine to prevent and treat diabetes. They are reported to produce beneficial effects in combating diabetes and alleviating diabetes-related complications. These plants contain phtyonutrients and phytoconstituents demonstrating protective or disease preventive properties. In many developing countries, herbal drugs are recommended by traditional practitioners for diabetes treatment because the use of synthetic drugs is not affordable. Key Features: Provides botanical descriptions, distribution, and pharmacological investigations of notable medicinal and herbal plants used to prevent or treat diabetes Discusses phytochemical and polyherbal formulations for the management of diabetes and other related complications Contains reports on antidiabetic plants and their potential uses in drug discovery based on their bioactive molecules This volume in the Exploring Medicinal Plants series provides an overview of natural healing treatments in selected antidiabetic plants. The book presents valuable information to scientists, researchers, and students working with medicinal plants or for those specializing in areas of ethnobotany, natural products, pharmacognosy, and other areas of allied healthcare. It is also useful to pharmaceutical companies, industrialists, and health policy makers.