Mitochondrial metabolism in diabetes

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a heterogeneous set of multifactorial pathogenesis syndrome where the common nexus is metabolic disorder, mainly chronic hyperglycemia and alterations in lipid and protein metabolism. The effects of DM, include long-term damage, dysfunction, and failure of various organs. It especially affects eyes, kidneys, muscle, nerves, heart, and blood vessels. The primary goal of diabetes treatment is the prevention of macrovascular complications (e.g., myocardial infarction, heart failure, and ischemic stroke) as well as the microvascular complications (e.g., retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy). Abnormalities in mitochondrial function are common in the pathophysiology of diabetes that include modifications in the redox state and oxidative and nitrosative stress, as well dysregulation of mitochondrial complex activities. Oxidative stress is a factor that contributes to the development of complications in diabetes; however, its effects can be counteracted using exogenous antioxidants that are found in some plants, which is why people turn to traditional medicines in the search for therapeutic treatment. Identification of major compounds in extracts of medicinal plants can contribute to ameliorate hyperglycemia and oxidative stress due to exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetes. The growing need to find alternatives for the treatment of diabetes justifies the study of medicinal plants used in traditional medicine. In this study, we aimed to review information related to possible treatments with bioactive compounds from medicinal plants on diabetes that affect several organs, including liver, heart, brain, muscle, and kidney with exacerbated oxidative stress originated mainly in mitochondria.