Indigenous Plants of Pakistan for the Treatment of Diabetes: A Review

The review discusses the increasing prevalence of diabetes in Pakistan, with approximately 21.9 million adults suffering from the disease according to the Diabetes Prevalence Survey of Pakistan (2017). Given the country's developing status, providing modern medical facilities for diabetes treatment to everyone is challenging. However, indigenous medicinal plants offer potential solutions. These plants contain various chemical compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolic content, tannins, saponin, and glycoside) in their leaves, roots, stems, wood, fruit, seeds, and flowers, which can effectively manage diabetes either alone or in combination. The review provides information about these indigenous plants, their local names, regions of availability in Pakistan, and their antidiabetic bioactive compounds as reported in research studies.