Title:Artemisia Species as a New Candidate for Diabetes Therapy: A Comprehensive Review
Volume: 21
Issue: 10
Author(s): Reza Sharafati-Chaleshtori, Ali Nickdasti, Erfan Mortezapour, Mohammad Hossein Pourhanifeh, Mohsen Ghazanfari, Ahmad Movahedpour, Alireza Khatami, Milad Ashrafizadeh, Ali Zarrabi, Mahmood Khaksary Mahabady*, Haroon Khani and Hamed Mirzaei*
Affiliation:
- Anatomical Sciences Research Center, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan,Iran
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan,Iran
Keywords:
Diabetes mellitas, artemisia, herbal medicine, molecular pathway, anti-diabetic potencial, Asteraceae.
Abstract: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease and a threatening problem for
world health. Allopathic medications are not efficient enough in controlling DM and its
complications. Therefore, much attention has been directed towards the traditional
medicine system. Plant derived-natural compounds with medicinal properties play an
essential role in DM management and treatment. Artemisia is a varied and widespread
genus of the family Asteraceae, which has more than 500 species with beneficial
economic and therapeutic significance. Electronic databases such as Science Direct,
Scopus, Pubmed, Web of Science, medRixv, and Wiley were used to search scientific
literature. In folklore medicine, Artemisia species have been widely utilized for diabetes
management. Molecular investigations have revealed that the NF-κB suppression, Notch
1 inhibition, cell cycle stop at S+G2/M-phase, enhanced Bax protein concentrations,
mitochondrial membrane potential attenuation, activation of p53 and caspase, Bcl-2
regulation, and ROS formation are crucial mechanisms that could be targeted via
various Artemisia species. Anti-diabetic effects of single or multiple doses of alcoholic
and aqueous extracts of Artemisia species are due to the presence of bioactive
compounds, and they are completely efficient in lowering levels of blood glucose in
experimental examinations. In spite of the available anti-diabetic drugs, therapeutic
agents obtained from the mentioned plants have been used for the treatment of this
disease and its complications with less adverse impacts. Taken together, multiple lines
of evidence indicated that Artemisia species could be introduced as a potential
therapeutic candidate in the treatment and management of diabetes.
