Medicinal Herbs in the Management of Diabetes and Obesity: Molecular Mechanisms, Bioactive Phyto-constituents and Therapeutic Perspectives

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus and obesity are closely interconnected metabolic disorders characterized by insulin resistance, impaired glucose homeostasis, dysregulated lipid metabolism, chronic low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, and alterations in energy balance. Numerous medicinal herbs have demonstrated antidiabetic and anti-obesity activities through multiple mechanisms, including inhibition of intestinal α-amylase and α-glucosidase, modulation of DPP-4, enhancement of insulin secretion, stimulation of IRS-1/PI3K/Akt signaling, GLUT4 translocation, activation of AMPK, modulation of PPARs, inhibition of adipogenesis and lipogenesis, stimulation of lipolysis and thermogenesis, and regulation of gut microbiota.

Important examples include Momordica charantia, Gymnema sylvestre, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Cinnamomum spp., Panax ginseng, Camellia sinensis, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Phaseolus vulgaris, and berberine-containing plants. This review emphasizes the molecular mechanisms underlying the dual antidiabetic and anti-obesity effects of medicinal herbs and discusses experimental and clinical evidence, limitations, safety considerations, and future perspectives.