Role of Tamarindus indica L. in diabetes: A systematic review of current evidence

Abstract

Background

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major non-communicable disease that impacts populations globally, resulting in over 6 million deaths in 2021 alone. Patients with DM often experience chronic hyperglycemia, which can lead to complications such as cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, and nephropathy. Recent research emphasizes the potential role of natural products in managing hyperglycemia and mitigating its associated complications. One notable natural product, Tamarindus indica L., has been scientifically shown to have hypoglycemic properties, making it a promising complementary therapy for managing diabetes.

Scope and approach

This systematic review aims to update the effects of T. indica on DM. Articles were searched from Cochrane, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science up to July 2024. Thirty-one articles comprising in vitro and in vivo studies on the hypoglycemic effects of T. indica were included in this review. Two reviewers performed the literature search, screening and assessment of the articles. The quality of the animal studies was evaluated using SYRCLE's risk of bias tool.

Key findings and conclusions

The seeds, fruits, leaves, and other aerial parts of T. indica showed hypoglycemic effects. The extent of these effects is influenced by factors such as the method of plant extraction, dosage, treatment duration, and the diabetic model used. Protection from oxidative stress, inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines, inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, and regulation of insulin secretion, as well as glucose, glycogen, and lipid metabolism, were the likely mechanisms that contributed to the hypoglycemic effects. In-depth studies on the hypoglycemic mechanisms of T. indica extracts especially at the molecular level could increase our understanding of its therapeutic use and ensure safety for patient use.