ANTIDIABETIC MEDICINAL PLANTS: A REVIEW

Abstract

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder which is mainly characterized by hyperglycaemia and arises by the defects in insulin secretion or insulin action or both. It is categorized into two types, type-I and type-II diabetes. The risk factors that are responsible for diabetes are genetic factor, obesity, hypertension etc. Conventionally many drugs are used for the treatment of diabetes such as biguanides, sulfonylureas, meglitinides etc. But the desired effective treatment is still not to be achieved. So researches are going on for the development of alternate effective therapy against diabetes. Medicinal plants are promising source and also very useful for the development of complimentary therapy. In India medicinal plants are widely used traditionally for the prevention and cure of diabetes. This review article consists the description of the herbs which are reported to have good antidiabetic property.