A review on the medicinal potential of Panax ginseng saponins in diabetes mellitus

Herbal medicines have traditionally played a major role in the management of diabetes mellitus (DM) in Asian countries for centuries. In the last decade, numerous preclinical findings suggested that Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer was a promising therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of DM, and Panax ginseng saponins were the key active components. The present review highlights the effects of ginseng and its active specific ginsenosides on glucose production and absorption, insulin production/secretion, and on inflammatory processes that seem to play an important role in the development of DM. However, the studies are remained inconclusive because of contradictory results. Thus more studies are needed to further prove the efficacy in DM. This review summarizes the evidences for the therapeutic potential of ginseng and ginsenosides from in vitro studies, animal studies and human clinical trials with a focus on diverse molecular targets.