Recent Updates on Ayurveda based Phytoconstitutents for the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a ubiquitous metabolic syndrome with increased rates of mortality from the past few decades. It is a biochemical disorder with a complex pathophysiology and has disturbed glucose homeostasis maintained by the insulin hormone. The current medications for diabetes mellitus have serious adverse effects after long treatments. Thus, Ayurveda based phytoconstitutents are a new and well-accepted path for the possible discovery of newer drugs for the better management of diabetes and associated complications. The plant phytoconstitutents are more affordable and clinically effective with less adverse effects than the modern allophatic medications. The literature has shown the efficacy and clinical safety of the traditional medicine system. These natural products act by inhibiting alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase enzymes, some act by regulating the insulin secretion and activation of PRARγ pathway for maintaining glucose concentration. These natural treatments were found to be remarkably potent and safe as no adverse effects have been clinically outlined during medical therapy. This review briefly describes the various secondary plant metabolites, their structures and proposed mechanism of action for treating diabetes mellitus and associated complications.