Bioactive Compounds in Anti-Diabetic Plants: from Herbal Medicine to Modern Drug Discovery
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biology Review Bioactive Compounds in Anti-Diabetic Plants: From Herbal Medicine to Modern Drug Discovery Ngan Tran 1, Bao Pham 2 and Ly Le 1,* 1 School of Biotechnology, International University—Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City 721400, Vietnam; [email protected] 2 Information Science Faculty, Saigon University, Ho Chi Minh City 711000, Vietnam; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 21 July 2020; Accepted: 26 August 2020; Published: 28 August 2020 Abstract: Natural products, including organisms (plants, animals, or microorganisms) have been shown to possess health benefits for animals and humans. According to the estimation of the World Health Organization, in developing countries, 80% of the population has still depended on traditional medicines or folk medicines which are mostly prepared from the plant for prevention or treatment diseases. Traditional medicine from plant extracts has proved to be more affordable, clinically effective and relatively less adverse effects than modern drugs. Literature shows that the attention on the application of phytochemical constituents of medicinal plants in the pharmaceutical industry has increased significantly. Plant-derived secondary metabolites are small molecules or macromolecules biosynthesized in plants including steroids, alkaloids, phenolic, lignans, carbohydrates and glycosides, etc. that possess a diversity of biological properties beneficial to humans, such as their antiallergic, anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and antioxidant activities Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease result of metabolic disorders in pancreas β-cells that have hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia can be caused by a deficiency of insulin production by pancreatic (Type 1 diabetes mellitus) or insufficiency of insulin production in the face of insulin resistance (Type 2 diabetes mellitus). The current medications of diabetes mellitus focus on controlling and lowering blood glucose levels in the vessel to a normal level. However, most modern drugs have many side effects causing some serious medical problems during a period of treating. Therefore, traditional medicines have been used for a long time and play an important role as alternative medicines. Moreover, during the past few years, some of the new bioactive drugs isolated from plants showed antidiabetic activity with more efficacy than oral hypoglycemic agents used in clinical therapy. Traditional medicine performed a good clinical practice and is showing a bright future in the therapy of diabetes mellitus. World Health Organization has pointed out this prevention of diabetes and its complications is not only a major challenge for the future, but essential if health for all is to be attained. Therefore, this paper briefly reviews active compounds, and pharmacological effects of some popular plants which have been widely used in diabetic treatment. Morphological data from V-herb database of each species was also included for plant identification. Keywords: diabetes mellitus; medicinal plants; herb; bioactive compound 1. Introduction Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder of multiple causes characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The effects of diabetes mellitus include long–term damage, dysfunction, and failure of various organs [1]. Diabetes mellitus is divided into three main types [1–5]. Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) is an autoimmune disorder developing when Biology 2020, 9, 252; doi:10.3390/biology9090252 www.mdpi.com/journal/biology Biology 2020, 9, 252 2 of 31 Biology 2020, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 31 insulin-producingdeveloping when cellsinsulin-producing of the pancreas cells in the of body the pancreas have been in destroyed the body and have the been pancreas destroyed produces and little the orpancreas no insulin. produces A person little whoor no has insulin. type 1A DM person must who take has insulin type 1 daily DM tomust live. take It develops insulin daily most to often live. inIt childrendevelops and most young often adults. in children Type 2and diabetes young has adults. also beenType known 2 diabetes as another has also term been “insulin-independent known as another diabetesterm “insulin-independent mellitus” which accounted diabetes mellitus” for more whic thanh 90%accounted of diagnosed for more cases than of90% DM of indiagnosed adults. Itcases is a diagnosisof DM in adults. in which It theis a pancreasdiagnosis produces in which enough the pancreas insulin produces but the body enough cannot insulin use the but insulin the body effectively, cannot ause condition the insulin called effectively, insulin a resistance. condition called Gestational insulin diabetes resistance. mellitus Gestational (GDM) diabetes is a degree mellitus of glucose(GDM) intoleranceis a degree of with glucose onset intolerance or first recognition with onset in or the first second recognition or third in trimester the second of the or third period trimester of pregnancy. of the GDMperiod is of caused pregnancy. by the GDM hormone is caused of pregnancy by the hormon or a shortagee of pregnancy of insulin. or GDM a shortage is one ofof the insulin. most GDM popular is disordersone of the ofmost metabolism popular disorders during pregnancy. of metabolism during pregnancy. Hyperglycemia causes damage to eyes, kidneys, nerves,nerves, heart and bloodblood vesselsvessels [[6].6]. According to the ninth edition 2019 of the International Diabetes Fede Federationration (IDF) (IDF) Diabetes Diabetes Atla Atlass released released by by the the IDF, IDF, as of 2019, the the total total adult adult population population in inthe the age age grou groupp of 20–79 of 20–79 years years stands stands at 463 at million 463 million who wholive with live withdiabetes, diabetes, which which is set to is setincrease to increase to 578 tomillion 578 million by 2030 by (Figure 2030 (Figure 1) [7]. 1There)[ 7]. is There one patient is one patientwho dies who of diesdiabetes of diabetes mellitus mellitus every 6 s, every this rate 6 s, is this higher rate th isan higher death than rates death from rateshuman from immunodeficiency human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) virus(1.5 million), (HIV) (1.5tuberculosis million), (1.5 tuberculosis million) and (1.5 malaria million) (0.6 and million), malaria combined (0.6 million), [8–10]. combined [8–10]. Figure 1. NumberNumber of of people people with with diabetes diabetes worldwide worldwide and and per per International International Diabetes Diabetes Federation Federation (IDF) (IDF)region. region. Following thethe Statistics Statistics of Internationalof International Diabetes Diabet Federationes Federation in 2019 in [7 ],2019 the total[7], adultthe total population adult inpopulation the age groupin the ofage 20–79 group years of 20–79 stands years at 463 stands million at 463 live million with diabetes, live with which diabetes, may which increase may to 578increase million to by578 2030. million Among by them,2030. inAmong 2019, 373.9them, million in 2019, adults 373.9 aged million 20–79 adults yearsworldwide, aged 20–79 7.5% years of theworldwide, adult population, 7.5% of the are adult estimated population, to have are impaired estimated glucose to have tolerance. impaired Most glucose adults tolerance. with impaired Most glucoseadults with tolerance impaired are underglucose the tolerance age of 50 are years under (180.0 the million–48.1%). age of 50 years The (180.0 estimated million–48.1%). prevalence The of diabetesestimated in prevalence men aged of 20–79 diabetes years in is men slightly aged higher 20–79 thanyears in is womenslightly (9.6%higher vs than 9.0%). in women The prevalence (9.6% vs of9.0%). diabetes The prevalence is expected of to diabetes increase is in expected both men to increase and women in both from men 2019 and to women 2030 and from 2045 2019 (Figure to 20302). Alland around 2045 (Figure the world, 2). All there around are top the 10 world, countries there that ar havee top numbers10 countries of people that have with numbers diabetes, includingof people China,with diabetes, the USA, including Indonesia, China, India, the Brazil, USA, Indonesia, Mexico, Japan, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, Japan, and Pakistan, Nigeria. AlthoughThailand, theand risksNigeria. of GDM Although with pregnantthe risks of women GDM havewith pregnant been recognized women clearly,have been there recognized is uncertainty clearly, that there the treatmentis uncertainty reduces that and the controls treatment blood reduces glucose and level controls of women blood during glucose pregnancy level could of women decrease during those riskspregnancy or not. could Moreover, decrease GDM those extends risks to or increase not. Moreover, the risk for GDM the development extends to ofincrease type 2 DMthe risk after for giving the birth.development Nowadays, of type diabetes 2 DM after mellitus giving has birth. risen Nowadays, along with diabetes rapid cultural mellitus and has social risen changes,along with such rapid as aging,cultural population, and social lesschanges, physical such activities, as aging, dietary, population, and so less on. physical The cost activities, associate dietary, with diabetes and so includes on. The increasingcost associate health with services, diabetes an includes economic increa burden.sing health services, an economic burden. Biology 2020, 9, 252 3 of 31 Biology 2020,