Combating Diabetes and its Emerging Complications Utilizing Natural Phytochemicals

Introduction: Natural phytochemicals are considered a primary health care measure for many chronic diseases and for assurance of urban health and wellbeing. Diabetes and its related complications are major chronic diseases increasingly threatening human health and wellbeing. Till date, these diseases are not fully managed by the current therapies. Thus, there is an increasing need to find more safe and efficient therapies for diabetes and its related complications. Methods: An evidence-based review of the novel phytotherapies to diabetes and its related complications and discussing their main mechanisms of actions are the main aims of the current study. Data collection were done for the phytotherapies that were extracted, chromatographically standardized, fractionated and the main effective compounds were isolated and evaluated for their potentials against diabetes and its related complications. Special emphasis was given for the extracts and their isolated phytochemicals that had significant hypoglycemic and antinociceptive effects towards diabetes and its related complications, particularly diabetic-neuropathy. Results: The phytochemicals main mechanisms of action were found to be mainly due to their insulin secretagogue, beta-cells regeneration, anti-oxidant potentials. Conclusion: Therefore, clinicians should consider natural phytochemicals when treating chronic diseases and when reassuring better urban health and wellbeing.