Moringa Oleifera: A Herbal Remedy for the Management of Diabetes

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a chronic medical condition in which the body refuses to produce sufficient amounts of insulin, a hormone of the pancreas that is responsible for maintaining blood glucose levels in the body. It occurs when the body experiences insulin deficiency which increases blood glucose levels. There are many herbs used for treating diabetes but Moringa Oleifera shows 40-60% more effectiveness than other herbs for treating diabetes. M. Oleifera shows anti-hyperglycemic (antidiabetic) activity, it also shows the effect of reducing glycemia without causing any adverse effects. The mechanism of glycemia includes inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase which increases glucose uptake in the liver and glucose uptake from the intestine, M. Oleifera decreases gluconeogenesis in the liver and increases insulin sensitivity and secretion. Studies show that the aqueous extract of Moringa Oleifera leaves possesses a hypoglycemic effect through normalizing hepatic pyruvate carboxylase enzyme and regenerating damaged hepatocytes and pancreatic β-cells through its antioxidant properties. Moringa Oleifera contains flavonoids which improve insulin sensitivity factor in the body. However, these studies are limited in numbers and mostly conducted on animals such as rats, monkeys, etc. in vitro and in vivo studies. M. Oleifera herbs are proven to treat or manage the condition of diabetes. Research indicates that compounds in Moringa, like isothiocyanates, show inhibition of glucose-6-phosphatase which involves glucose production in the liver. Overall, this review provides evidence that Moringa Oleifera can be used as a glycemic control agent.