#Diabetes mellitus and #prediabetes represent major global health challenges associated with metabolic and cardiovascular complications. This review was conducted to evaluate herbal medicines as complementary strategies for glycaemic control and metabolic risk reduction. This systematic review assessed the efficacy, metabolic and cardiovascular effects, and clinical safety of herbal medicines used in diabetes and prediabetes management. A systematic literature search was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. Eligible studies included clinical and relevant preclinical investigations reporting glycaemic, metabolic, cardiovascular, and safety outcomes of herbal interventions. Data were extracted descriptively and synthesized qualitatively due to heterogeneity in study design and outcomes. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Most interventions demonstrated reductions in fasting blood glucose, postprandial glucose, oral glucose tolerance test values, and, in several cases, glycated hemoglobin. Improvements in lipid profiles and vascular parameters were also reported. Safety assessments revealed favorable tolerability, with no serious adverse events and stable hepatic and renal markers at studied doses. Findings from the included studies indicate that selected herbal medicines demonstrated adjunctive benefits in glycaemic control and metabolic parameters in diabetes and prediabetes. Further well-designed trials are needed to confirm long-term efficacy, safety, and clinical applicability.
2 Medical News 