Table 6. Medicinal plants having antidiabetic activity in tissue culture and whole animal biology.
Studies of medicinal plants with demonstrated anti-diabetic properties are listed. Plants are arranged in alphabetical order. The animal model studies are cross-referenced to cellular studies of the same extract/plant wherever possible.
| Medicinal plants | Phytochemistry | Animal model | Summary | Animal study |
Cell study |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Yeongyang korea (Korea red pepper), Capsicum annuum |
Seed extract. | Mice | Improved glycemic control, decreased hepatic gluconeogenesis, and increased FOXO1 and AMPK phosphorylation. | (Kim et al., 2020) | (Yang, Jang & Hwang, 2012) |
| Anemarrhena asphodeloides | Glycosides | Mice | Inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis/glycogenolysis. | (Nakashima et al., 1993) | (Nurcahyanti et al., 2021) |
| Annona stenophylla | Aqueous root extract. | Rats | Decreased glucose level. | (Taderera, Gomo & Shoriwa Chagonda, 2016) | (Taderera et al., 2019) |
| Apios americana | Flower or methanolic extract of the flower. | Mice | Decreased plasma glucose level. | (Kawamura et al., 2015) | (Yan et al., 2017) |
| Aronia melanocarpa | Fruit juice. | Rats | Decreased plasma glucose and triglycerides in diabetic rats. | (Lee et al., 2016; Mazibuko et al., 2013; Mu et al., 2020) | (Schreck & Melzig, 2021) |
| Artemisia dracunculus | Ethanolic extract. | Mice | Lowered glucose and PEPCK concentrations. | (Ribnicky et al., 2006) | |
| Aspalathus linearis | Tea extract. | Mice | Improved impaired glucose tolerance. | (Kawano et al., 2009) | (Mazibuko et al., 2013) |
| Boehmeria nivea | Methanol extract of the root. | Wistar rats | Restore normal glucose, lipids, and antioxidants level. | (Sancheti et al., 2011) | (Kim et al., 2013) |
| Brassica oleracea | Raw sprouts. | Rats | Decreased blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and hepatoprotection. | (Sahai & Kumar, 2020) | (Schreck & Melzig, 2021) |
| Cimicifuga racemosa | Rhizomes and root extract. | Mice | Reduced body weight, plasma, glucose, and increased insulin sensitivity. | (Moser et al., 2014) | (Moser et al., 2014) |
| Cinnamomum cassia | Bark extract. | Diabetic mice | Decreased blood glucose and triglycerides levels. | (Kim, Hyun & Choung, 2006) | (Lakshmi et al., 2009) |
| Citrullus colocynthis | Fruit ethanol extract. | Albino rats | Reduced blood glucose and improved pathology. | (Oryan et al., 2014) | (Drissi et al., 2021) |
| Costus igneus (insulin plant) | Powdered leaves. | Rats | Decreased fasting and postprandial glucose level | (Shetty et al., 2010) | (Kattaru et al., 2021) |
| Crataegus pinnatifida | Fruit extract. | Mice | Decreased glucose production and triglyceride synthesis via AMPK phosphorylation. | (Shih et al., 2013) | (Schreck & Melzig, 2021) |
| Crocus sativus | Hydroethanolic extract of aerial parts. | Rats | Reduced blood glucose and improved diabetic complications. | (Ouahhoud et al., 2019) | (Kang et al., 2012) |
| Curcuma longa | Curcuminoids and sesquiterpenoids from rhizome solvent fractions. | Mice | Decreased blood glucose levels and stimulation of adipocyte differentiation. | (Nishiyama et al., 2005) | (Kim et al., 2010) |
| Dendrobium officinale | Stem extract. | Rats | Reduced blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDLP-C. | (Chen et al., 2020) | (Wang et al., 2018) |
| Entada phaseoloides | Entagenic acid from seed kernel. | Mice | Improved blood glucose, insulin resistance, and changes in pancreatic islets. | (Xiong et al., 2018) | (Zheng et al., 2016) |
| Eucommia ulmoides | Leaves | Rats and Mice | Hypoglycemia and hypolipidemic effects in streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia. | (Nakashima et al., 1993; Taderera, Gomo & Shoriwa Chagonda, 2016; Park et al., 2006; Lee et al., 2005) | (Schreck & Melzig, 2021) |
| Gundelia tournefortii | Water extract. | Mice | Decreased blood glucose level, body weight, triglycerides, and cholesterol, but increased renal protection. | (Sancheti et al., 2011; Sahai & Kumar, 2020; Mohammadi & Zangeneh, 2018; Azeez & Kheder, 2012) | (Kadan et al., 2018) |
| Juglans regia | Leaves and ridges. | Mice Rats |
Decreased blood glucose, hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, glycogen phosphorylase activity, glycosylated hemoglobin, LDL, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. | (Kamyab et al., 2010; Liu et al., 2015; Sato et al., 2016) | (Schreck & Melzig, 2021) |
| Juniperus chinensis | Berries ethanol extract. | Rats | Improved blood glucose level and other diabetic parameters. | (Ju et al., 2008) | (Jung et al., 2017) |
| Kigelia pinnata | Methanolic extract of the flower. | Rats | Decreased blood glucose, serum cholesterol, and triglycerides. | (Kumar, Kumar & Prakash, 2012) | (Faheem et al., 2012) |
| Malva verticulata | Tea | Mice | Decreased blood glucose, LDL-C, and total cholesterol and increased HDL-C and leptin. | (Bano & Akhter, 2021) | (Jeong & Song, 2011) |
| Mangifera indica | Aqueous extract of the leaves. | Rats | Decreased fasting blood glucose level. | (Madhuri & Mohanvelu, 2017) | (Nandabalan, Sujatha & Shanmuganathan, 2010) |
| Momordica charantia | Aqueous seed extract. | Rats | Reduced blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-biphosphatase, and glycogen phosphorylase, but increases the activities of glycogen synthase and hexokinase. | (Sathishsekar & Subramanian, 2005) | (Kumar et al., 2009) |
| Momordica charantia | Saponins | Rats | Decreased fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and increased insulin content and sensitivity. | (Jiang et al., 2020) | (Cheng et al., 2008) |
| Morus alba | Polysaccharides from fruit. | Rats | Reduced blood glucose and lipid levels. | (Jiao et al., 2017) | (Naowaboot et al., 2012) |
| Ocimum basilicum | Aerial parts. | Rats | Inhibition of glycogenolysis. | (Ezeani et al., 2017) | (Kadan et al., 2016) |
| Opuntia ficus-indica | Powder or water extract of the stem. | Rats | It inhibits α-glucosidase and reduces blood glucose levels. | (Hwang, Kang & Lim, 2017) | (Leem et al., 2016) |
| Panax ginseng | Ethanol extract of the seed. | Obese diabetic mice | Increased insulin-stimulated glucose disposal, energy expenditure, and reduced cholesterol levels. | (Attele et al., 2002; Shalaby & Hammouda, 2013) | (Kang et al., 2017) |
| Peumus boldus | Boldine alkaloid from the leaves and bark. | Rats | Dose-dependent decrease in oxidative markers and mitochondrial protection | (Jang et al., 2000) | (Schreck & Melzig, 2021) |
| Portulaca oleracea | Aqueous extract. | Male Wistar rats | Decreased Hb A1C, serum glucose level, TNF-α, and IL-6. | (Ramadan, Schaalan & Tolba, 2017) | (Stadlbauer et al., 2016) |
| Psidium guajava | Leaf extract. | Rats | Antidiabetic | (Mazumdar, Akter & Talukder, 2015) | (Li et al., 2019b) |
| Punica granatum | Fruit aqueous extract. | Wistar rats | Reduces fasting blood glucose and lipid levels. | (Gharib & Kouhsari, 2019) | (Huang et al., 2005) |
| Rhodiola crenulata | Methanol root extract. | Mice | Decreased postprandial blood glucose. | (Yue et al., 2022) | (Lee et al., 2015) |
| Rosmarinus officinalis | Water extract. | Rats | Decreased blood sugar level and oxidative stress markers. | (Khalil et al., 2012) | (Vlavcheski et al., 2018) |
| Salacia oblonga | Water extract of the root. | Obese Zucker rats | Improved interstitial and perivascular fibrosis and inhibition of postprandial hyperglycemia. | (Li et al., 2004) | (Giro et al., 2009) |
| Sapindus mukorossi | Fruit | Rats | Decreased glucose and lipid levels. | (Verma et al., 2012) | (Stadlbauer et al., 2021) |
| Sarcopoterium spinosum | Aqueous extract. | Mice | Prevents diabetes progression. | (Smirin et al., 2010) | (Elyasiyan et al., 2017) |
| Sechium edule | Methanol and ethyl acetate fraction. | Rats | Antidiabetic and antioxidant. | (Siahaan et al., 2020) | (Wu et al., 2014) |
| Selaginella tamariscina | Total flavonoids | Rats | Decreased plasma FBG, HbA1c, triglycerides, total cholesterol, FFA with increased insulin, HDL-C, and C-peptides. | (Zheng et al., 2011) | (Nguyen et al., 2015b) |
| Stauntonia chinensis | Total saponins from the stem. | Mice | Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic. | (Xu et al., 2018) | (Hu et al., 2014) |
| Toona sinensis | Quercetin from the leaves. | Mice | Antidiabetic and antioxidant. | (Zhang et al., 2016) | (Liu et al., 2015) |
| Trigonella foenum-graecum | Seed powder. | Female Albino rats | Reduced elevated fasting blood glucose and enzyme levels. | (Raju et al., 2001) | (Chen et al., 2022) |
| Urtica dioica | Aqueous extract of the aerial parts. | Wistar rats and Swiss mice | Decreased glucose level in oral glucose tolerant test [OGTT]. | (Bnouham et al., 2003) | (Chen et al., 2022) |
| Vaccinium myrtillus | Fruit | Rats | Decreased total cholesterol, LDL-C, VLDL-C, and triglycerides in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic rats. | (Asgary et al., 2016) | (Schreck & Melzig, 2021) |
| Vigna angularis | Hot water extract and polysaccharides from the leaves. | Mice and Rats | Reduced FBG, an triglycerides, but increased HDL-C, and reduction in diabetes progression. | (Zheng et al., 2011; Xu et al., 2018; Itoh et al., 2009) | (Sato et al., 2016) |
| Zea mays (Purple corn) | Extract | Mice | Decreased fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and PEPCK, increased insulin secretion, AMPK and GLUT4 in diabetic mice. | (Huang et al., 2015) | (Luna-Vital & De Mejia, 2018) |
| Gymnema sylvestre | Phytoconstituents | Rats | Reduced hyperglycemia via through PI3K/AKT activation | (Li et al., 2019a) | (Retz & Glucose, 2021) |