Nanoformulations of flavonoids for diabetes and microvascular diabetic complications

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by an excess of glucose in the blood. If the constant sugar level is not managed correctly in diabetic patients, it may lead to microvascular complications such as diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy. There are several synthetic drugs for the management of diabetes; however, these drugs produce immense adverse effects in long-term use. Flavonoids are naturally occurring substances categorized in various classes. They are known for their diverse pharmacological actions, and one of them is prominent antihyperglycemic action and their activities in diabetic complications. In the last few decades, many research studies emphasized the potential of flavonoids in diabetes management. Nevertheless, most flavonoids are insoluble in water and cannot produce desired therapeutic action when administered in conventional dosage forms. To overcome this issue, flavonoids were formulated into different nanoformulations to enhance solubility, absorption, and therapeutic efficacy. This review article focuses on flavonoid nanoformulations and in vitro and in vivo studies reported to overcome diabetes mellitus and its complications.