ABSTRACT
Abstract ................................................................................................. 318 12.1 Introduction ................................................................................ 318 12.2 Medicinal Plants ......................................................................... 320 12.3 Mangroves as Antidiabetic Plants .............................................. 344 12.4 Conclusions ................................................................................ 344 Acknowledgements ............................................................................... 345 Keywords .............................................................................................. 345 References ............................................................................................. 345
ABSTRACT
Plants have been used by human beings since time immemorial. Plants are significant and perennial sources of food and medicines that are used for the treatment of various human diseases. Traditional drugs derived from herbal plants are used by about 60% of the world’s population, especially in Asia and Africa. The present review focuses on herbal drugs and antidiabetic plants as traditional practice of Indian people in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is a major health problem especially in the rural and urban population not only of India but throughout the world. There are several remedies for the treatment of diabetes and its associated secondary complications. Herbal drug formulations are correctly preferred due to low toxicity and no side effects. A list of medicinal plants with proven antidiabetic activity and related beneficial effects has been compiled in this review with their botanical names, common name, family, plant/parts used for the diabetic treatment. We hope that this review would initiate an action plan that would lead to the discovery/development of indigenous antidiabetic plant drugs.
