Table 4.

Main mechanisms of CHM treating DM and its complications by Wen Yang (tonifying Yang) or Huo Xue Hua Yu (activating blood circulation and easing congestion).

Latin name	Family	Extracts or monomers	In vivo/  in vitro	Models	Effective doses/doses range	Mechanisms	Toxic effect	References
Amomum xanthioides Wall. ex Baker	Zingiberaceae	Aqueous ethanolic extract	In vitro	3T3-L1 adipocytes	0.02–0.5 mg/mL	PRGU, IIAI	ND	[82]
Angelica hirsutiflora Tang S. Liu, C. Y. Chao, and T. I. Chuang	Umbelliferae	Methanolic extract	In vivo	ICR mice,	10, 30 mg/Kg	PIEI	ND	[83]
			In vitro	HIT-T15 cells, human pancreatic islets	50–150 µg/mL
Ramulus cinnamomi	Lauraceae	Cinnamaldehyde, benzyl benzoate	In vivo	Kun Ming mice	1.4 g/Kg	COSR	ND	[39]
Cinnamomum cassia (Nees and T. Nees) J. Presl	Lauraceae	Cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate, cassioside	In vivo	Kun Ming mice	700 mg/Kg	COSR	ND	[39]
Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.	Eucommiaceae	Lignans	In vivo	Kun Ming mice	1.4 g/Kg	COSR	ND	[39]
		Water extract	In vivo	C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice	1.87 g/Kg	IHSG	ND	[84]
Daemonorops draco (Willd.) Blume	Arecaceae	Ethanol extract	In vivo	ICR mice	1.2 g/Kg	PIPR, COSR	NO	[85]
			In vitro	RIN-m5F cells	10–100 µg/mL		<200 µg/mL
Zingiber officinale Roscoe	Zingiberaceae	Phenolic gingerol	In vitro	L6 rat myoblast	5–40 µg/mL	PRGU	NO	[86]
Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. and Maxim.) Harms	Araliaceae	Hot water extract	In vivo	Db/db mice	500 mg/Kg	INGA	ND	[87]
			In vitro	Caco-2 cells	0.03–4 mg/mL
		Polysaccharide	In vivo	Wistar rats	200 mg/Kg	COSR	ND	[88]
Ephedra sinica Stapf	Ephedraceae	L-Ephedrine, alkaloid	In vivo	BALB/c mice	0.0125 mg/mL,	PIPR	ND	[89]
Carica papaya L.	Caricaceae	Aqueous extract	In vivo	Wistar rats	0.75, 1.5 g/100 mL,	PIPR, COSR, IHSG	ND	[90]
Terminalia chebula Retz.	Combretaceae	Chloroform extract	In vivo	SD rats	Short term study, 100, 200, 300 mg/Kg	PIEI	ND	[91]
					Long term study, 300 mg/Kg
Epimedium brevicornumMaxim.	Berberidaceae	Icariin	In vivo	SD rats	80 mg/Kg	COSR	ND	[92]
Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge	Lamiaceae	Hydrophilic extract	In vitro	HMEC-1 cells, human microvascular endothelial cells	10 µg/mL	COSR	ND	[93]

IIAI: CHM increase insulin sensitivity and ameliorate insulin resistance; PIEI: CHM promote insulin secretion and elevate serum insulin levels; INGA: CHM inhibit α-glucosidase activity; PIPR: CHM protect islet β cells and promote their regeneration; IHSG: CHM increase hepatic glycogen content and suppress gluconeogenesis; INSG: CHM inhibit the secretion of glucagon; PRGU: CHM promote the glucose uptake by adipose and muscular tissues. COSR: CHM control oxidative stress response, such as scavenging oxygen radicals, preventing lipid peroxidation, or inhibiting nitric oxide synthesis; RAAR: CHM regulate the activity of aldose reductase; BLIR: CHM block inflammatory response. NO means not toxic. ND means no data available. YES means toxic.