The aim of the recent critical review was to investigate the bioactive components, and antidiabetic
activity of ten herbal plants extracts. Herbal plant-derived secondary metabolites of qualitative
phytochemicals such as alkaloid, terpenoids, flavonoids, steroid, phenol, anthraquinones, saponin,
tannin and glycoside. Herbal plants contain a diversity of biological properties beneficial to humans,
like as their antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiallergic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic
activities. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease of metabolic disorders in the β-cells of the pancreas
with hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia can be caused by a lack of insulin production by the pancreas
(type 1 diabetes) or by insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes). Present diabetes medications focus on
controlling blood glucose levels in the vessel and bringing them down to normal levels. Moreover,
most modern drugs have many side effects that cause some important medical problems during
treatment. Therefore, herbal plants have been used for a long time and play a vital role as alternative
medicines. Also, in the last few years, some new bioactive ingredients isolated from herbal plants
have indicated the antidiabetic activity better than the oral hypoglycemic agents used in clinical
treatment. Herbal medicine has made a good medical practice and shows a bright future in the
treatment of diabetes. Hence, this article modern reviews the bioactive compounds and medicinal
effects of ten important herbal plants widely used in the treatment of diabetes.
