Flavonoids-The Most Potent Poly-phenols as Antidiabetic Agents: An Overview

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder of carbohydrate, lipid and amino-acids characterized by polyuria, polyphagia, polydypsia, blurred vision etc. It is the most prevailing disease affecting nearly 285 million people worldwide and is expected to rise to 438 million by 2030. In spite of numerous drugs currently available in the treatment of diabetes, herbal products tend to gain much importance over any other due to less/minimal adverse effects in recent decades. Around 60% of the world’s population is using medicinal plants as a traditional medicine out of which India is major contributor. Poly- phenols, in particular flavonoids can be suggested as better therapeutic agents in the management of diabetes mellitus and also chronic complications associated with the disorder. In the present review, focus is made on various flavonoids, their chemical nature and their mechanisms of action from various plant sources in overcoming hyperglycemia and its associated complications