Terpenoids in Diabetic Nephropathy: Advances and Therapeutic Opportunities

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the foremost ailment resulting in end-stage renal damage. Chronic hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia are the foremost reason for disease progression. The disease is characterized by the severity of albuminuria and cardiovascular disorders. Approximately 20 to 40% of the global prevalence of DN is mostly reported to occur in individuals with diabetes, and nearly 28% of DN occurs in individuals with other renal disorders. The pathological mechanism is very complex, involving innumerable targets and leading to multiple pharmacological effects. Thus, the scientific community is forced to work in search of safe and potent therapeutics that can tackle the complex pathology of DN effectively. The secondary plant metabolites categorized as terpenoids gained attention as potential therapeutics contrary to others for the management of diabetic nephropathy and other associated syndromes by their strong antioxidant activity and inhibition of advanced glycation and its associated products. This review focused on herbal therapeutics for the management of diabetic nephropathy. Moreover, different types of terpenoids, their biological sources, and proposed mechanisms of action are explored for the development of a novel pharmacophore for diabetic nephropathy.