Ethnopharmacological review of medicinal plants used to manage diabetes in Morocco

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder which affects millions of people every year. If diabetes is not controlled, it can cause serious damage and a number of health complications. The aim of this paper was to review published ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological evidences of Moroccan plants with antidiabetic potentials. Publications describing the medicinal plants used for the treatment of diabetes in Morocco were searched from the databases, including Google Scholar, Elsevier, Medline, Web of Science, SCOPUS and Pubmed. Other literature source was also used including books and theses available in library. About 750 literature references were studied, and only 240 research publications based on data from different Moroccan provinces published until June 2019 were included in this review. In total, 255 plants species belonging to 70 families were reported. Compositae and Lamiaceae were mentioned as the most represented families. The frequently used plant species in the dwellers of most regions of Morocco are Trigonella foenum-graecum, Artemesia herba-alba, Nigella sativa, Olea europaea, Allium cepa and Marrubium vulgare. This review provides useful information and current scientific knowledge on the medicinal plants used to manage diabetes in Morocco. Medicinal plants reported should be submitted to chemical, pharmacological and clinical studies to identify pharmacologically active metabolites and to confirm their antidiabetic activity.