Exploring Phytotherapeutic Alternatives for Obesity, Insulin Resistance and Diabetes Mellitus

• Published in: Current pharmaceutical design Vol. 26; no. 35; p. 4430
• Main Authors: Chávez-Castillo, Mervin, Nuñez, Victoria, Rojas, Milagros, Ortega, Ángel, Durán, Pablo, Pirela, Daniela, Marquina, María, Cano, Clímaco, Chacín, Maricarmen, Velasco, Manuel, Rojas-Quintero, Joselyn, Bermúdez, Valmore
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United Arab Emirates 01-01-2020
• Subjects: Cardiovascular Diseases; Diabetes Mellitus - drug therapy; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - drug therapy; Humans; Insulin; Insulin Resistance; Obesity - drug therapy; cardiovascular disease; diabetes mellitus; Phytotherapy; medicinal herbs; insulin resistance; obesity
• ISSN: 1873-4286
• DOI: 10.2174/1381612826666200701205132

At present, the pathologic spectrum of obesity-insulin resistance (IR)-diabetes mellitus (DM) represents not only a pressing matter in public health but also a paramount object of study in biomedical research, as they constitute major risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and other chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD). Phytotherapy, the use of medicinal herbs (MH) with treatment purposes, offers a wide array of opportunities for innovation in the management of these disorders; mainly as pharmacological research on small molecules accumulates. Several MH has displayed varied mechanisms of action relevant to the pathogenesis of obesity, IR and DM, including immunological and endocrine modulation, reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress (OS), regulation of appetite, thermogenesis and energy homeostasis, sensitisation to insulin function and potentiation of insulin release, among many others. However, the clinical correlates of these molecular phenomena remain relatively uncertain, with only a handful of MH boasting convincing clinical evidence in this regard. This review comprises an exploration of currently available preclinical and clinical research on the role of MH in the management of obesity, IR, and DM.