Antidiabetic Herbal Drugs and Polyherbal Formulation used for Diabetes: A Review

Abstract

This dreadful disease is found in all parts of the world and is becoming a serious threat to mankind health. It is caused by the deficiency or ineffective production of insulin by pancreas which results in increase or decrease in concentrations of glucose in the blood. There are lots of chemical agents available to control and to treat diabetic patients, but total recovery from diabetes has not been reported up to this date. Alternative to these synthetic agents, many herbal plants with hypoglycaemic properties are known from across the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed 21,000 plants, which are used for medicinal purposes around the world. A list of medicinal plants with proven antidiabetic and related beneficial effects and of herbal drugs used in treatment of diabetes is compiled.