Some common West African spices with antidiabetic potential: a review

Abstract

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder of glucose metabolism, which is associated with an elevated level of glucose (hyperglycemia) in the blood. The unhealthy eating habit of people, obesity, inactivity and irregular use of diabetes prescribed medications are one of the factors that have increased the prevalence of diabetes worldwide. However, the high cost of managing diabetes and adverse effects associated with the use of synthetic drugs have impelled the quest to search for cost-effective and safer alternative antidiabetic agents. Conversely, spices are added to food to improve their taste, color, flavor, and shelflife; they also possess some therapeutic values including antidiabetic activity due to the presence of bioactive components. As a result, the present review focuses on some commonly used spices in Africa that have demonstrated antidiabetic activity in both in vitro and in vivo studies, thereafter, we highlighted some bioactive compounds in these spices and their possible mechanism of action.