Uso de plantas medicinais na redução dos níveis glicêmicos em pessoas com diabetes mellitus: revisão de escopo

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that develops persistent hyperglycemia. Since it is a chronic disease, of continuous treatment, there is a search for new methods of intervention, among which is described in the literature, the possibility of using several species of medicinal plants as adjuvants in the treatment. Plants are a source of raw material for the manufacture of herbal medicines and other drugs. Phytotherapic drugs can act as an optional form of therapy, considering their lower cost, whose benefits add to those of conventional therapy. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the scientific production on the use of medicinal plants to reduce glycemic levels in humans and animals with diabetes. METHODOLOGY: Methodological study of the scoping review type, which followed the recommendations established in the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review manual, version 2020. Searches were performed in the following databases: MEDLINE/PUBMED, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Embase, Web of Science, BVS, LILACS, JBISRIR, Cochrane, and for grey literature: Google Scholar, ProQuest and CAPES - Thesis Bank. The literature survey was conducted in the period December 2020 to June 2021. RESULTS: 26,487 articles were identified, after following all the selection process with reading titles, abstracts, descriptors and finally reading in full resulted in a final sample of 22 selected articles. All the plants were compared with second and first generation drugs. As far as second generation oral hypoglycemic agents are concerned, they have greater potency than first generation drugs. Thus, 27 medicinal plants were identified that showed statistically significant results in reducing blood glucose levels when compared to these drugs. Regarding the level of scientific evidence, 90.90% (20) were grade D recommendation level 5, and 9.10% (2) were grade A recommendation level 1A and 1B. In addition, the knowledge gap was the few studies conducted in humans. CONCLUSION: The identified medicinal plants showed effects in reducing glycemic levels when compared to drugs used in people and animal model with diabetes. They showed no adverse or cytotoxic effects. Moreover, more studies with a high level of scientific evidence are needed to fill the gaps found here, so that the real efficacy of the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diabetes in humans can be proven.