Abstract
Insulin resistance or insufficiency causes hyperglycemia, which is a hallmark of diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic disease. Due to their poor long-term efficacy and frequent side effects, conventional antidiabetic medications have sparked interest in alternative therapy. Many bioactive substances, including flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and polyphenols, have antidiabetic properties by protecting pancreatic β-cells, reducing oxidative stress, blocking enzymes responsible for the breakdown of carbohydrates, and improving insulin secretion and sensitivity. In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes models, herbs such as Bauhinia variegate, Caesalpinia sappan, Prunus persica, and Syzygium cumini have demonstrated encouraging outcomes. Additionally, by neutralizing reactive oxygen species, natural antioxidants can reduce the problems associated with diabetes. Even though clinical data is increasing, more research is necessary to guarantee therapeutic efficacy, safety, and uniformity. A comprehensive approach to diabetes treatment may be provided by combining herbal medicine with tailored lifestyle changes. This review investigates how natural herbs and phytochemicals produced from plants can help mitigate diabetes and its complications.