An overview of documented medicinal plants used for the treatment of diabetes in Iran with ethnobotanical and evolutionary perspective (2002-2022)

Abstract

Background: Iran country with high plant species richness along with ethnic group diversity is significant for the application of medicinal plants in various types of disease treatments such as diabetes. Based on the WHO organization, the total prevalence of diabetes in Iran is 10.3%. In this review, we aimed to offer a comprehensive documentation of plants used for anti-diabetic purposes in Iran, incorporating phylogenetic aspects. Furthermore, we aim to spotlight the plants most commonly employed by local communities to introduce them as potential candidates for further pharmacological research.

Methods: In this study, ethnobotanical information from documents spanning the past twenty years, available on the "Ethnobotanical Database of Iran," has been collected, compiled, and analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis was carried out to identify lineages with the presentation of plant families used in the treatment of diabetes.

Results: There were 282 species of plants from 63 families reported for treating diabetes in Iran. Urtica dioica followed by Citrullus colocynthis, Teucrium polium, Juglans regia, and Trigonella foenum-graecum represent the most utilized species for diabetes treatments. Phylogenetic relationships between families and plant organs used in diabetes treatments was significantly correlated through plants evolutionary patterns.

Conclusions: This is the first comprehensive review studying medicinal plants used in the treatment of diabetes from ethnobotanical and phylogenetic perspectives in Iran. The findings of this research underscore the significance of further exploration into utilizing indigenous knowledge to address emerging advanced diseases.

Keywords: Blood sugar; Endemic species; Hyperglycemia; Medicinal plants; Traditional knowledge