Exploring the efficacy of plant-based nutraceuticals in managing diabetic neuropathy

Diabetes-induced peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common complications in patients with diabetes. Plant-derived natural products have been tested in animal models as agents to treat this complex condition. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the therapeutic potential of plant-based nutraceuticals used for managing diabetic neuropathy in rat models using a systematic literature review approach. The literature review was performed in November 2023 on two databases, PubMed and Scopus. Nerve conduction velocity and pain-related behaviors were considered primary outcome measures. For meta-analysis, a random effect model was selected with a mean difference at 95% confidence intervals to estimate the effect of plant-based nutraceuticals on the primary outcome measures. Eighteen studies were included in the meta-analysis, with results indicating that plant extracts or isolated compounds significantly increased nerve conduction velocity and thermal and mechanical paw withdrawal latencies. Different mechanisms of action to reduce neuropathy symptoms have been proposed in these studies including a reduction in inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers. This study suggests that plant-based therapies are effective in the management of diabetes-induced peripheral neuropathy. However, more studies are required with a standard experimental design and reporting.