Mervin Chávez-Castillo*, Victoria Nuñez, Milagros Rojas, Ángel Ortega, Pablo Durán, Daniela Pirela, María Marquina, Clímaco Cano, Maricarmen Chacín, Manuel Velasco, Joselyn Rojas-Quintero and Valmore Bermúdez Pages 4430 - 4443 ( 14 )
At present, the pathologic spectrum of obesity-insulin resistance (IR)-diabetes mellitus (DM) represents not only a pressing matter in public health but also a paramount object of study in biomedical research, as they constitute major risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and other chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD). Phytotherapy, the use of medicinal herbs (MH) with treatment purposes, offers a wide array of opportunities for innovation in the management of these disorders; mainly as pharmacological research on small molecules accumulates. Several MH has displayed varied mechanisms of action relevant to the pathogenesis of obesity, IR and DM, including immunological and endocrine modulation, reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress (OS), regulation of appetite, thermogenesis and energy homeostasis, sensitisation to insulin function and potentiation of insulin release, among many others. However, the clinical correlates of these molecular phenomena remain relatively uncertain, with only a handful of MH boasting convincing clinical evidence in this regard. This review comprises an exploration of currently available preclinical and clinical research on the role of MH in the management of obesity, IR, and DM.
Phytotherapy, medicinal herbs, obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease.
Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Barranquilla, Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Jose Maria Vargas School of Medicine, Central University of Venezuela, Caracas, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Department, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Barranquilla