ABSTRACT:
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an endocrinological metabolic disorder occur due to deficiency in production of insulin by the pancreas, or by the ineffectiveness of the insulin produced. Diabetes is in the top 10, perhaps in the top 5, of the most significant diseases in the developed world and is still gaining significance and number of those affected is increasing day by day. Though different types of oral hypoglycaemic agents are available along with insulin for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The oral hypoglycaemic agents currently used in clinical practice have characteristic profiles of serious side effects, high cost and drug-drug interactions. Herbal preparations are preferred therapeutic agents to manage the glycemic control in diabetics because of their lesser side effects. Many plants have been investigated for their beneficial use in different types of diabetes and reports occur in numerous scientific journals. There is still a need for new oral hypoglycaemic agents, may be derived from natural sources, as the serious side effects, high cost and drug-drug interaction properties of existing synthetic oral hypoglycaemic agents may not be satisfactory. This review focuses on phytochemicals, chemistry, mechanism, and lead compounds derived from plants and use to control or in the treatment of type 2-Diabetes.