Iridoid terpenoids: a class of promising compounds to regulate blood glucose

Iridoids derived from plants have demonstrated promising effects in regulating glycemic levels, which have captured the attention of researchers. Thus, an overview of iridoids with hypoglycemic activity, with a particular focus on their potential mechanisms of action in various cellular and animal models was summarized. It has been observed that iridoids primarily exert anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hypoglycemic effects through signaling pathways such as NF-κB, MAPK, AMPK, PI3K/AKT, NLRP3, ROS, NOX4, and AGEs/RAGE, thereby mitigating the symptoms of diabetes and its complications. By comprehensively summarizing and analyzing the molecular pathways through which iridoids alleviate diabetes and its complications, this review aims to establish a scientific foundation for the utilization of iridoids.