Amylase inhibitors: Potential source of anti-diabetic drug discovery from medicinal plants

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycaemia resulting from either defect in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Though, there exists many therapeutics for the treatment of diabetes, plant based drugs are generally considered safe and are much effective. However, traditional usage of medicinal plants for the treatment of diabetes lacks scientific validation. Enzyme inhibitors have potential role in many areas of disease control and treatment and this review focuses on the plants which possess outstanding anti-diabetic property which could be possibly investigated further for the presence of alpha-amylase inhibitor. Key-Words: Enzyme inhibitors Diabetes – Medicinal plants Introduction Diabetes mellitus can be described as a metabolic disorder of multiple etiologies characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism due to defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both (Adolfo et al., 2008). According to International Diabetes Federation, around 194 million people live with diabetes and the epidemiological estimates that by 2025 there will be 333 million diabetes sufferers worldwide. Types of diabetes The three main types of diabetes are Type 1 diabetes Type 2 diabetes Gestational diabetes * Corresponding Author E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected] Telephone: +35 (8) 449650342 Type I Diabetes Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease results when the body’s system for fighting infection (the immune system) turns against a part of the body. In diabetes, the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. The pancreas then produces little or no insulin. At present, scientists do not know exactly what causes the body’s immune system to attack the beta cells, but they believe that autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors, possibly viruses, are involved. It develops most often in children and young adults but can appear at any age. Symptoms of type I diabetes usually develop over a short period, although beta cell destruction can begin years earlier. Symptoms may include increased thirst and urination, constant hunger, weight loss, blurred vision, and extreme fatigue. If not diagnosed and treated with insulin, a person with type I diabetes can lapse into a life-threatening diabetic coma, also known as diabetic ketoacidosis. Type II diabetes Type II diabetes mellitus is an increasingly common disorder of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism two important characteristics of this disease are insulin resistance, the failure of peripheral tissues; including liver, muscle, and adipose tissue, to respond to physiologic doses of insulin, and failure of pancreatic β-cells to properly secrete insulin in response to Review Article [Alagesan et al., 3(2): Feb., 2012]