Table 1.

List of Traditional plants used in management and treatment of Diabetes

Plant name	Family	Parts used	Active Principles	Mechanism of action	Uses	Reference
Acacia arabica	Leguminoceae	Bark	Gallic acid, pyrocatechol, (+)- catechin, (-) epigallocatechin-7-gallate, (-) epicatechin, quercetin, (+) catechin-5-gallate.	Act as secretagouge to release insulin	Hypoglycemic activity	[13, 14]
Achyranthes aspera	Amaranthaceae	Leaves, seeds.	Betaine, achyranthine, β ecdysone	Carbohydrate digestion and absorption	Hypoglycemic effect	[15, 16]
Adhatoda vasica	Acanthaceae	leaves	Vasicine Vasicinol	α-Glucosidase-inhibiting activity	Antidiabetic	[17, 18]
Aegle marmelose	Rutaceae	leaves	Aegelin, marmesin and marmelosin	Regeneration of pancreatic β cells and insulin secretion	Hypoglycaemic effect	[16, 19]
Ageratum conyzoides	Asteraceae	leaves	Mono- and sesquiterpenes	Increase peripheral utilization of glucose	Hypoglycaemic effect	[20, 21]
Allium cepa	Amaryllidaceae	bulb	S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide, S-allyl cysteine sulfoxide	Stimulates pancreatic β-cells	Hypoglycaemic effect	[22, 23]
Allium sativum	Amaryllidaceae	bulb	Allicin, apigenin, alliin	Stimulates pancreatic β-cells	Antidiabetic and anti-oxidant	[16, 23, 24]
Aloe barbadensis	Asphodelaceae	leaves	Aloin, barbaloin, isobarbaloine, aloetic acid.	Insulin secretion and synthesis	Hypoglycemic effect.	[16, 25]
Andrographis paniculata	Acanthaceae	Whole plant	Andrographolide,	Regeneration of pancreatic β cells, insulin secretion	Antidiabetic & hepatoprotective.	[26, 27]
Annona squamosa	Annonaceae	leaves	Acetogenin	Enhances insulin level from pancreatic islets, increased utilization of glucose in muscle.	Hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic activities	[28, 29]
Areca catechu	Palmitaceae	Leaves, flowers, seeds	Nitrosamines, arecoline, arecaidine	Carbohydrate digestion and absorption	Hypoglycemic	[16, 30]
Azadirachta indica	Meliaceae	leaves	Azadirachtin, nimbolinin, nimbin, nimbidin, quercetin.	Improves the insulin signaling molecules and glucose utilization in the skeletal muscle.	Antidiabetic, Antibacterial, antioxidant	[31, 32]
Bacopa manneri	Serophulariacea	Aerial part	Bacosine, brahmine, bacopaside I, II, III, IV and V.	Increase in peripheral glucose consumption	Antihyperglycemic agent	[33, 34]
Bauhinia forficuta	Fabaceae	leaves	Kaempferitrin	Glycolysis, insulinonematic activity.	Hypoglycemic effect, antioxidant.	[35, 36]
Berberis aristata	Berberidaceae	Stem bark, roots, leaves	Barberin,	Glucose transport, carbohydrate digestion and absorption, DPP-IV inhibition	Hypoglycemic effect	[37, 38]
Boerhavia diffusa	Nyctaginaceae	leaves	Punarnavine, Boeravinone A-F	Increase in hexokinase activity, increase plasma insulin level, antioxidant	Antidiabetic	[39, 40]
Camellia sinensis	Thecaceae	leaves	Epigallocatechin-gallate, gallocatechin, epicatechin, (+) catechin, (−) epicatechin	Free radical scavenging activity, insulinonematic activity	Antihyperglycemic activity, antioxidant	[41, 42]
Caseria esculenta	Salicaceae	roots	Leucopelargonidin, Dulcitol, Beta sitosterole.	Insulin secretion	Antihyperglycemic activity	[43]
Cassia auriculata	Fabaceae	roots	Bis (2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate	α-Glucosidase-inhibiting activity	Antihyperglycemic effect	[44, 45]
Centella asiatica	Apiaceae	Whole plant	asiaticoside		Antihyperglycemic activity	[46, 47]
Coccinia indica	Cucurbitaceae	Aerial parts	- β- Amyrin Acetate, Lupeol, Cucurbitacin B, Taraxerone, Taraxerol, β-carotene, Lycopene,	Initiate insulin secretion, carbohydrate digestion and absorption.	Hypoglycemic effect.	[48, 49]
Commelina communis	Commelinaceae	Leaves, stem	1-deoxynojirimycin, (2R,3R,4R,5R)2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-3,4-dihydroxypyrrolidine	Inhibition of α-glucosidase	Antihyperglycemic agent.	[50, 51]
Curcuma longa	Zingiberaceae	rhizomes	Curcumin, termerone, germacrone, zingiberene	Inhibition of α-glucosidase, inhibition of GSK-3β	Antidiabetic, Antihyperlipidemic, antioxidant	[52, 53]
Cyprus rotandus	Cyperaceae	Whole plant	α cyperone, cyperene, cyperol.	Inhibites intestinal glucose absorption and promoting glucose consumption.	Hypoglycemic agent	[54, 55]
Emblica officinalis	Euphorbiaceae	fruits	Gallic acid, ellagic acid, vitamin c.	Hypoglycemic, Decreases lipid peroxidation, antioxidant.	Hypoglycemic and antioxidant.	[56, 57]
Enicostema littorale	Gentianaceae	Whole plant	Swertiamarin, apigenin, isovitexin, swertisin, saponarin, 5-o glucosylswertisin	Glucose-induced insulin release through K(+)-ATP channel.	Hypoglymcemic effect.	[58, 59]
Ficus benghalensis	Moraceae	Bark, leaves	Leucocyanidin, pelarogonidin	Insulin secretion, glycogen synthesis	Antidiabetic	[60, 61]
Ficus racemosa	Moraceae	Bark, leaves	β-sitosterol, racemosic acid, Bergenin.	Glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis	Hypoglycemic activity	[62, 63]
Glycyrrhiza glabra	Leguminoceae	roots	Glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhizic acid liquirtin, isoliquirtin.	Potent PPAR-γ ligand binding activity thus, reduces the blood glucose level	Hypoglycemic agent.	[64, 65]
Gymnema sylvestre	Asclepidaceae	leaves	Gymnenic acid, Stigmasterol, Gurmarin, betaine, gymnemosides.	Regeneration of pancreatic β cells, α-glucosidase inhibitor, insulin secretion	Antidiabetic agent.	[66–68]
Ginkgo biloba	Ginkgoceae	leaves	Kaempferol, isorhamnetin	Inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity	Hypoglycemic agent.	[69]
Mangifera indica	Anacardiaceae	leaves	Mangiferin	α-Glucosidase-inhibiting activity	Hypoglycemic agent	[70]
Momordica charantia	Cucurbitaceae	fruits	Momordin, momordicine, charantin	Insulin secretion, glycogen synthesis	Hypoglycemic agent	[71, 72]
Morus indica	Moraceae	leaves	Chrysin, isoquercitrin	Insulin secretion	Hypoglycemic agent	[73]
Ocimum sanctum	Lamiaceae	leaves	Eugenol, trans-β ocimene, Carvacrol, linalool.	Insulin secretion, carbohydrate digestion and absorption	Hypoglycemic agent.	[74, 75]
Panax ginseng	Araliaceae	roots	Ginsenosides Rg2, panaxan A, B, C, D, E	Regeneration of pancreatic β cells, free radical scavenging	Antihyperglycemic activity	[76, 77]
Phyllanthus amarus	Phyllanthaceae	leaves	Brevifolin carboxylic acid, ethyl brevifolin carboxylate	α-Amylase inhibitory activity	Hypoglycemic, Anti-oxidant activity.	[78]
Pterocarpus marsupium	Leguminoceae	Stem wood	Marsupsin, pterosupin, pterostilbene	Insulinomematic activity	Antidiabetic	[79]
Swertia chirata	Gentinaceae	Whole plant	Amarogentin, swerchirin, chirantin	Stimulates insulin release from islets	Antihyperglycemic agent	[80]
Syzygium aromaticum	Myrtaceae	Flower buds	Eugenol, Caryophylline	Insulin secretion, carbohydrate digestion and absorption	Hypoglycemic agent	[81]
Syzygium cumini	Myrtaceae	Bark, seeds	Jambosine, jambolin, anthocyanins.	α-Glucosidase-inhibiting activity	Anti-hyperglycemic	[82]
Terminalia arjuna	Comberetaceae	Stem bark	Arjunic acid, arjunolic acid, gallic acid.	Stimulates insulin release from islets	Hypoglycemic ativity	[83]
Terminalia chebula	Comberetaceae	fruits	Gallic acid, chebulic acid, chebulanin, ellagic acid, chebulegic acid, chebulinic acid	Secretion of insulin from the β-cells.	Hypoglycemic ativity	[84]
Terminalia belerica	Comberetaceae	fruits	ß- sitosterol, gallic acid, ellagic acid, ethyl gallate, chebulaginic acid.	Insulin secretion, carbohydrate digestion and absorption	Hypoglycemic ativity	[85]
Tinospora cardifolia	Menispermaceae	Leaves and stem	Tinosporine, cordifolide, tinosporide, Barberin.	α-Glucosidase-inhibiting activity, glycolysis	Antidiabetic agent.	[86, 87]
Trigonella foenum graceum	Fabaceae	seeds	Trigonellin, Fenugreekine.	Regeneration of pancreatic β cells, insulin secretion	Antidiabetic activity.	[88, 89]
Vinca rosea	Apocynaceae	Whole plant	Catharanthine, vindoline, vindolinene vinblastine, vincristine	Regeneration of pancreatic β cells, insulin release	Hypoglycemic activity	[90]
Vitis vinifera	Vitaceae	Leaves, stem	E-resveratrol, E-ε-viniferin, anthocyanins.	Insulinonematic activity	Anti-hyperglycemic activity	[91]
Withania somnifera	Solanaceae	Leaves, roots	Withaferin A, withanolides	Insulin release from pancreatic β cells	Hypoglycemic activity	[92]
Zingiber officinalis	Zingiberaceae	rhizomes	Gingirol, shoagol, zingerone.	Increase insulin level & decrease fasting glucose level	Hypoglycemic activity	[93]