Exploring Herbal Remedies for Diabetes Management: A Comprehensive Review of Efficacy, Epidemiology, and Quality of Life Considerations

Diabetes mellitus, characterized by abnormal insulin function or production, poses a significant global health challenge, ranking among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Its complications, such as hyperglycemia-induced damage to various bodily systems, underscore the urgency of effective management strategies. Herbal treatments have gained attention due to concerns about adverse effects associated with conventional medications. The present study aims to compare the quality of life (QoL) assessment of patients using herbal and allopathic additionally, we outline the epidemiology, etiology, and pathophysiology of diabetes, underscoring the rising global prevalence and associated risk factors. The role of herbal plants in diabetes management is discussed, emphasizing their potential as effective and safer alternatives to conventional treatments. We review the hypoglycemic effects of several medicinal plants, including Trigonella foenum-graecum, Momordica charantia, Eugenia jambolana etc, shedding light on their mechanisms of action and therapeutic benefits. Overall, our findings underscore the importance of individualized approaches in diabetes management and highlight the potential of herbal medicines in improving patient outcomes. Customized tools like SF-36 (Short-form survey) and QOLID (Quality of life instrument for indian diabetic patients) hold promise for evaluating the efficacy of herbal medications, warranting further research in this direction to enhance clinical effectiveness and patient satisfaction.medicines, employing generic (SF-36) and disease-specific (QOLID) tools. Our analysis of SF-36 health profiles reveals that herbal treatment places a greater emphasis on patient comfort, particularly in domains related to treatment satisfaction (TS) and general health (GH), thereby enhancing overall QoL. QOLID data further corroborates these findings, indicating increased treatment satisfaction, vitality, and reduced symptom irritability with herbal medicine compared to synthetic medication. Notably, herbal therapy demonstrates superior QoL in most specific domains except diet satisfaction (DS), suggesting areas for further research and clinical improvement