Figure 1.

Antidiabetic effects of 20 medicinal plant-based foods on body weight and cells and organs (pancreas, blood vessels, intestine, liver, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and β-cells) associated with diabetes. Medicinal plants decrease body weight and body fat by initiating lipolysis; decrease glucose production by inhibiting gluconeogenesis and glycolysis in liver; decrease blood glucose levels by binding to insulin receptor substrate (IRS-1); decrease blood lipid levels by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase; promote glucose uptake and enhance GLUT-4 expression by activating the AMPK pathway in skeletal muscles; inhibit α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes and decrease glucose absorption in the small intestine; improve insulin sensitivity/secretion, improve β-cell function, and lower insulin resistance by activating PPAR-γ expression in the pancreas; decrease IL-6/TNF-α and enhance glucose uptake by activating AMPK in adipose tissues; decrease ROS/free radicals/AGEs, oxidative stress, and inflammatory cytokines in β-cells via antioxidant/radical scavenging activity.