Antidiabetic potential of selected Asteraceae plant species used in South Africa

Diabetes mellitus is one of the leading causes of death in South Africa, and it has already placed significant stress on the country's health sector and economy. The orthodox hypoglycaemic drugs are not only ineffective in the management of diabetes and its complications, but they also possess adverse side effects. The need for alternative non-toxic drugs is therefore imperative. Various studies have listed several medicinal plants that can be successfully used in the herbal treatment of diabetes, and have investigated them for their anti-diabetic potentials in vivo and/or in vitro. Out of different potential herbal species, the plants belonging to the Asteraceae family possess highly potent hypoglycaemic properties with negligible toxicities. Our review provided an update of the scientific evidence on five plants of the Asteraceae family, widely used in different parts of South Africa and should be further explored for future applications.