Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a multifactorial and complicated metabolic disorder, is a growing public health problem. Numerous studies have indicated that bioactive compounds from herbal medicine have beneficial effects on T2DM prevention and treatment, owing to their numerous biological properties. Curcumin, the major curcuminoid of turmeric, is one of the most studied bioactive components of herbal supplements, and has a variety of biological activities. Clinical trials and preclinical research have recently produced compelling data to demonstrate the crucial functions of curcumin against T2DM via several routes. Accordingly, this review systematically summarizes the antidiabetic activity of curcumin, along with various mechanisms. Results showed that effectiveness of curcumin on T2DM is due to it being anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, antihyperglycemic, anti-apoptotic, and antihyperlipidemic, among other activities. In light of these results, curcumin may be a promising prevention/treatment choice for T2DM.