ABSTRACT
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................221 Allium cepa and Allium sativum (Liliaceae Family).....................................................................221 Aloe vera (Liliaceae Family) .........................................................................................................226 Artemisia herba-alba (Compositae Family)..................................................................................227 Atriplex halimus (Chenopodiaceae Family) ..................................................................................227 Lupinus albus (Leguminosae Family) ...........................................................................................228 Momordica charantia (Cucurbitaceae Family) .............................................................................228 Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae Family).........................................................................................229 Olea europea (Oleaceae Family)...................................................................................................230 Poterium spinosum (Rosaceae Family) .........................................................................................231 Rhazya stricta (Apocynaceae Family)...........................................................................................231 Trigonella foenum graecum (Leguminosae Family) .....................................................................232 Zygophyllum gaetulum (Zygophylaceae Family) ..........................................................................233 Conclusion and Perspectives..........................................................................................................233 References ......................................................................................................................................234
We have carried out an in-depth literature review of all the plants used for the treatment of diabetes in North Africa and the Middle East. These regions have a rich traditional antidiabetic pharmacopea that includes over 130 plant species, summarized in Table 12.1. We have selected 12 of these plants on the basis of citation frequency in book chapters and review articles. Each of these has been the object of three or more published scientific studies. The antidiabetic properties of each of these plants are summarized in the following alphabetical list.
