Persian Medicinal Plants as Antidiabetic Agents: Mechanisms and Evidence from Bench to Bedside

The use of medicinal plants by diabetic patients dates back to ancient times. In recent years, numerous reports have been published on the efficacy and safety of many medicinal plants in the treatment of diabetes through various mechanisms. This review highlights the up-to-date proposed mechanisms of action of the most common antidiabetic herbs used in Persian medicine, comprising Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Urtica dioica, Nigella sativa, Citrullus colocynthis, Silybum marianum, Zingiber officinale, Punica granatum, Salvia officinalis, Vaccinium arctostaphylos, and Momordica charantia, with support from clinical and experimental studies. Clinical research has shown significant reductions in blood glucose levels and insulin resistance, as well as improvements in diabetes-related symptoms, including digestive disorders and lipid dysregulation, accompanied by negligible adverse effects. Continuing to study how these plants work and how effectively they treat diabetes is important for using these natural treatments in modern medicine, offering affordable and safe options for diabetes patients.