some medicinal plants in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and its complications

Diabetes mellitus (dm) is one of the most common and serious metabolic disorders, affecting millions of people worldwide and representing a growing public health problem. the prevalence of dm continues to rise due to factors such as obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and genetic predisposition. although numerous pharmaceutical agents are currently available to manage dm, conventional therapies are often associated with limitations including high cost, adverse side effects, and reduced patient adherence. for this reason, there is an increasing need for novel therapeutic approaches that are both effective and safe. complementary and alternative medicine (cam) has gained global attention as a supportive strategy for the management of chronic diseases, particularly diabetes mellitus. among cam modalities, phytotherapy stands out due to its reliance on medicinal plants and natural compounds. many plant-derived preparations have traditionally been used in different cultures, and scientific studies now confirm that several of these plants exhibit antidiabetic properties. in addition to their hypoglycemic effects, phytotherapeutic agents are reported to provide antihypertensive, nephroprotective, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, and retinoprotective benefits, helping to reduce the burden of diabetes-related complications. they include enhancement of antioxidant activity, inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes, suppression of advanced glycation end product (ages) formation, and regulation of inflammatory pathways. furthermore, phytochemicals can increase the expression of glucose transporter type 4 (glut-4) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (ppar), thereby improving glucose uptake and lipid metabolism. the objective of this paper is to systematically review medicinal plants that demonstrate efficacy in the management of diabetes mellitus and its complications. by emphasizing the therapeutic potential of phytotherapy, this work seeks to highlight alternative and complementary approaches that may be integrated with conventional treatment strategies to achieve better outcomes in the long-term management of dm.