Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by a lack of insulin action and/or generation. Discrepancies in protein, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism can emerge due to the insufficiency of insulin. Low insulin levels, insulin resistance in target tissues, insulin-receptor expression, especially in adipose tissue and skeletal muscles, and to a lesser extent in the liver, effector enzymes, and/or signal transduction system all can play vital roles in metabolic disorders. Herbal products, such as fruit, seed, bark, fruit peel, and leaf, are always considered as promising sources of bioactive phytochemicals to treat different ailments including diabetes, pain, fever, cancer, hypertension, and so on. Phytomedicines are believed to be sanctified with lesser side effect, and thus, almost 80% of drug moieties are directly plant-extracted or their modified versions. Fruits are one of the most notable natural sources which provide fiber, minerals, vitamins, and many other essential nutrients which are included in daily diets. Fruits are also rich sources of flavonoids, saponins, polyphenols, carotenoids, isothiocyanates, and several other bioactive phytochemicals. Fruits are thought to be useful in the management of diabetes, cancer, obesity, and other disease states, including cardiovascular complications. From ancient Chinese therapies to modern approaches, local fruits are heavily incorporated to treat diabetic patients. Ayurveda medicines in the Indian subcontinent, including Bangladesh, also use a wide variety of locally produced fruits. It is believed that fruits and other plant parts can exhibit antidiabetic potential through several mechanism of actions.
Aegelin 2 | Scopoletin | Swertisin | Ferulic acid | Ursolic acid | n-hexadecanoic acid | Punicalagin | 5-hydroxy mangiferin | Pinitol (Cyclic polyol) |
Aegeline | Umbelliferon | Apigenin | Gallic acid | Limonene | Cinnamic Acid | Punicalin | 6-O-galloyl-5′-hydroxy mangiferin | Neohesperidin (Glycoside) |
Berberine | Avicularin | Gentisic acid | Arjunolic acid | Oleic acid | Vescalagin | Mangiferin | Citrulline (Non-essential amino acid) | |
Catechin | p-coumaric acid | Betulinic acid | Punicic acid | Punicalagin | Diosgenin (Steroidal sapogenin) | |||
Didymin | Carvacrol | Lanosterol | Valoneic acid dilactone | |||||
Diosmin | Methyl gallate | Lupeol | ||||||
Tangeretin | Vanillic acid | Mascilinic acid | ||||||
Epicatechin | Vanillin | Oleanolic acid | ||||||
Guaijaverin | Mombintane I | β-amyrin | ||||||
Hesperetin | Mombintane II | α-Pinene | ||||||
Hesperidin | Sitosterol | |||||||
Isoquercetin | Stigmasterol | |||||||
Kaempferol | β-sitosterol | |||||||
Luteolin | Phlorizin | |||||||
Morin | 6-gingerol | |||||||
Myricitrin | Caffeic acid | |||||||
Naringenin | Oligonol | |||||||
Naringin | Ellagic Acid | |||||||
Nobiletin | ||||||||
Quercetin | ||||||||
Rhoifolin | ||||||||
Rutin | ||||||||
8-Prenylnaringenin | ||||||||
S.L. | Species | Plant Part | Phytochemicals | Mode of Actions | References | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Aegle Marmelos | Leaf | Aegeline | Blood glucose-lowering activity | [121][12] | |||
Aegelin 2; sitosterol; scopoletin | Blood glucose-lowering activity | [186][13] | ||||||
2 | Annona squamosa | Leaf | Rutin | Inhibition of α-glucosidase activity and improved insulin secretion | [187][14] | |||
Quercetin | Improving insulin secretion | [187,188][14][15] | ||||||
Isoquercetin | Inhibiting the activity of DPP-4 | [187][14] | ||||||
3 | Ananas comosus | Fruit | Catechin | α-glucosidase inhibitory actions | [189,190][16][17] | |||
Epicatechin | Promoting β-cell regeneration | [190,[17191]][18] | ||||||
Gallic acid | Improved glucose transporters and insulin sensitivity through PPAR-γ and Akt signaling | [190,192][17][19] | ||||||
p-coumaric acid | Lowering the blood glucose level, increasing the level of insulin | [190,193][17][20] | ||||||
Ferulic acid | Restoring blood glucose and serum insulin level; improving insulin sensitivity, hepatic glycogenesis, glucose tolerance, and insulin tolerance along with reducing the activity of glycogen synthase and glucokinase and also increasing activity of glycogen phosphorylase and enzymes of gluconeogenesis (PEPCK and G6Pase) | [190,194][17][21] | ||||||
Caffeic acid | Reducing blood glucose concentration by inhibiting the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase and increasing insulin secretion | [190,195][17][22] | ||||||
Ellagic acid | Stimulating insulin secretion and decreases glucose intolerance by acting on β-cells of the pancreas | [71,190][17][23] | ||||||
Vanillin | Reducing serum glucose level and increasing insulin level | [190,196][17][24] | ||||||
4 | Artocarpus heterophyllus | Whole Plant | Morin | Down-regulation of miR-29a expression level to improve insulin signaling and glucose metabolism | [197][25] | |||
Bark from the main trunk, Root | Betulinic acid | Activating AMPK, reducing blood glucose level, and stimulating mRNA expression of GLUT-4 | [197,198][25][26] | |||||
Root | Ursolic acid | Lowering blood glucose level | [197,199][25][27] | |||||
Leaves, Stem, Root | β-sitosterol | Improving insulin resistance and insulin signaling along with reducing fasting blood glucose level and glycated hemoglobin | [197,200][25][28] | |||||
5 | Averrhoa carambola | Fruit | 2-dodecyl-6-methoxycyclohexa-2,5-diene-1, 4-dione | Improved blood sugar level and inhibition of the TLR-4/TGF-β signaling pathway | [156][29] | |||
6 | Baccaurea motleyana | Fruit | Limonene | Inhibiting protein glycation | [110,201][30][31] | |||
Carvacrol | α-amylase inhibitory actions | [110,201][30][31] | ||||||
7 | Borassus flabellifer |
Fruit pulp | Tyrosol, Glucosyl-(6-1)-glycerol | α-glucosidase inhibitory actions | [202][32] | |||
8 | Carica papaya | Seed | Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester; 11-octadecenoic acid, methyl ester; N, N-dimethyl-; n-hexadecanoic acid, and oleic acid | Inhibiting α-amylase and α-glucosidase | [132][33] | |||
9 | Carissa carandas | Leaf | Ursolic acid | Lowering blood glucose level | [203,204][34][35] | |||
Fruit | Myo-inositol | Improved insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in mature adipocytes; increased insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake | [36,205][36][37] | |||||
β-amyrin | Improvement in blood sugar level and plasma insulin along with preservation of β cell integrity | [36,206][36][38] | ||||||
10 | Citrullus lanatus | Fruit | Citrulline | Improving insulin sensitivity | [166,207][39][40] | |||
6-gingerol | Lowering fasting blood glucose levels and improving glucose tolerance | [166,208][39][41] | ||||||
Arjunolic acid | Protective action on pancreatic β-cells, Reducing blood glucose level | [166,209][39][42] | ||||||
Lycopene | Reducing blood glucose level | [195][22] | ||||||
11 | Citrus arunattifolia | Fruit | Hesperetin | Reducing blood glucose levels and increasing plasma insulin concentration and glycogen levels, ameliorating the abnormality resulting from hyperglycemia in pancreatic β-cells, increasing the number of insulin immune-positive cells of the islets | [210,211][43][44] | |||
Quercetin | Increased glucose uptake via regulation of the AMPK pathway along with improved GLUT-4 expression and regeneration of β-cells in the pancreatic islets | [210,211][43][44] | ||||||
Rutin | Reducing blood glucose, elevating glycogen concentration | [210,211][43][44] | ||||||
Nobiletin | Enhancing glucose uptake via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway | [210,211][43][44] | ||||||
Kaempferol | Inhibiting the activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase along with glucose-lowering activity | [211,[44212]][45] | ||||||
Naringenin | lowered the increased plasma glucose concentration, increased the activity of Superoxide dismutase (SOD) | [210,211][43][44] | ||||||
Apigenin | Reduction in serum glucose level, enhancing serum insulin level, nourishment of pancreatic β cell | [211,213,214][44][46][47] | ||||||
12 | Citrus limon | Fruit Peel | Nobiletin | Enhancing glucose uptake via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway | [210,215][43][48] | |||
Fruit, leaf | Diosmin | Improvement in fasting plasma glucose concentrations, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), C-reactive protein (CRP), and the activities of Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT) enzymes | [210][43] | |||||
Fruit | Rhoifolin | Insulin mimetic activity | [210][43] | |||||
Didymin | Improving insulin sensitivity, inhibitory action on α-glucosidase and diminished hepatic glucose production in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells | [210][43] | ||||||
Hesperidin | Reducing serum insulin and blood glucose level, normalizing the enzymatic activities of glucose-6-phosphatase and glucokinase enzyme | [210][43] | ||||||
Hesperetin | Reducing blood glucose levels and increasing plasma insulin concentration and glycogen levels, ameliorating the abnormality resulting from hyperglycemia in pancreatic β-cells, increasing the number of insulin immune-positive cells of the islets | [210][43] | ||||||
Rutin | Reducing blood glucose, elevating glycogen concentration | [210][43] | ||||||
Quercetin | Increased glucose uptake via regulation of the AMPK pathway along with improved GLUT-4 expression and regeneration of β-cells in the pancreatic islets | [210][43] | ||||||
13 | Citrus maxima | Fruit | β-sitosterol | Improving insulin resistance and insulin signaling along with reducing fasting blood glucose level and glycated hemoglobin | [200,216][28][49] | |||
Naringenin | Increased glucose uptake | [216,217][49][50] | ||||||
Naringin | Improved serum insulin level; enhanced mRNA expression of insulin receptor β-subunit and GLUT-4 | [216,[49218]][51] | ||||||
14 | Citrus reticulata | Fruit | alpha-pinene | Decreasing fasting blood glucoselevels | [219,220][52][53] | |||
Limonene | Inhibiting protein glycation | [201,219][31][52] | ||||||
Rutin | Reducing blood glucose, elevating glycogen concentration | [210][43] | ||||||
Quercetin | Increased glucose uptake via regulation of the AMPK pathway along with improved GLUT-4 expression and regeneration of β-cells in the pancreatic islets | [210][43] | ||||||
Naringin | Modifying the release of insulin from isolated islet and intestinal glucose absorption, improved expression of GLUT-4 in adipose tissue, and free circulating glucose uptake from the blood to peripheral tissues | [210,221][43][54] | ||||||
Naringenin | Lowered the increased plasma glucose concentration, increased the activity of Superoxide dismutase (SOD) | [210][43] | ||||||
Didymin | Improving insulin sensitivity, inhibitory action on α-glucosidase and diminished hepatic glucose production in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells | [210][43] | ||||||
Hesperidin | Reducing serum insulin and blood glucose level, normalizing the enzymatic activities of glucose-6-phosphatase and glucokinase enzyme | [210][43] | ||||||
8-Prenylnaringenin | Regulating the expression of Galectin-3 (Gal-3) protein which is overexpressed during the diabetic state, promoting glycation end products (AGEs) production | [210][43] | ||||||
Fruits and leaves | Diosmin | Improvement in fasting plasma glucose concentrations, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), C-reactive protein (CRP), and the activities of Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT) enzymes | [210][43 | |||||
, | ||||||||
203 | ||||||||
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[ | ||||||||
25 | ||||||||
] | ||||||||
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34 | ||||||||
] | ||||||||
Oleanolic acid | ||||||||
Improved blood glucose and serum insulin levels | ||||||||
[ | ||||||||
203 | ||||||||
, | ||||||||
260 | ||||||||
] | ||||||||
[ | ||||||||
34 | ||||||||
] | ||||||||
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96 | ||||||||
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Leaf | ||||||||
Swertisin | ||||||||
Generating new β-cells | ||||||||
[ | ||||||||
203 | ||||||||
, | ||||||||
261 | ||||||||
] | ||||||||
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34 | ||||||||
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97 | ||||||||
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Alkaloids | Coumarins | Flavonoids | Polyphenols and Phenolic Compounds | Terpenes and Triterpenoids | Fatty Acids | Tannins and Ellagitannins | Xanthones | Miscellaneous |
---|
] | |||||
Fruit peel | |||||
Nobiletin | |||||
Enhancing glucose uptake via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway | |||||
[ | |||||
210 | |||||
] | |||||
[ | |||||
43 | |||||
] | |||||
Tangeretin | |||||
Increasing glucose uptake, improving glycogen level and the activities of glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase, regeneration of pancreatic β-cells in the islets | |||||
[ | |||||
210 | |||||
] | |||||
[ | |||||
43 | |||||
] | |||||
Dried pericarp | |||||
Hesperetin | |||||
Reducing blood glucose levels and increasing plasma insulin concentration and glycogen levels, ameliorating the abnormality resulting from hyperglycemia in pancreatic β-cells, increasing the number of insulin immune-positive cells of the islets | |||||
[ | |||||
210 | |||||
, | |||||
222 | |||||
] | |||||
[ | |||||
43 | |||||
] | |||||
[ | |||||
55 | |||||
] | |||||
Albedo of fruit | |||||
Neohesperidin | |||||
Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity along with abatement in the blood glucose level | |||||
[ | |||||
210 | |||||
, | |||||
223 | |||||
] | |||||
[ | |||||
43 | |||||
] | [ | 56 | ] | ||
15 | Cocos nucifera | Coconut water | Myo-inositol | Improved insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in mature adipocytes; increased insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake | [205,224][37][57] |
16 | Cucumis melo | Seed | Gallic acid | Improved glucose transporters and insulin sensitivity through PPAR-γ and Akt signaling | [192,225][19][58] |
Vanillic acid | Translocation of GLUT-4 via the AMPK-dependent pathway | [225,226][58][59] | |||
4-Hydroxybenzoic acid | Increasing serum insulin levels and liver glycogen content | [225,227][58][60] | |||
17 | Dillenia indica | Leaf | 3,5,7,-Trihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxy-benzyl)-chroman-4-one | Enhanced serum insulin level and reduced fasting blood glucose level | [228][61] |
Betulinic acid, Quercetin, β-sitosterol, Stigmasterol | Inhibiting activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase | [191][18] | |||
18 | Diospyros malabarica | Leaf | Betulinic acid | Activating AMPK, reducing blood glucose level, and stimulating mRNA expression of GLUT-4 | [86,198][26][62] |
Fruit, Leaf | β-sitosterol | Improving insulin resistance and insulin signaling along with reducing fasting blood glucose level and glycated hemoglobin | [86,200][28][62] | ||
19 | Elaeocarpus floribundus | Leaf | Myricitrin | α-amylase inhibitory actions | [229][63] |
20 | Limonia acidissima | Whole Plant | Stigmasterol | lowering serum glucose level | [230,231][64][65] |
Umbelliferone | Improving glucose uptake | [231,232][65][66] | |||
Lupeol | Improving serum insulin level, reducing glycated hemoglobin, serum glucose | [230,[64231]][65] | |||
β-sitosterol | Improving insulin resistance and insulin signaling along with reducing fasting blood glucose level and glycated hemoglobin | [200,231][28][65] | |||
21 | Litchi chinensis | Fruit | Epicatechin | Promoting β-cell regeneration, enhancement of glucose consumption in HepG2 cells | [122][67] |
Seed | (2R)-naringenin-7-O-(3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-β -D-glucopyranoside); narirutin; quercetin; phlorizin |
dose-dependent α-glucosidase inhibitory actions | |||
Fruit | Oligonol | Ameliorating insulin resistance | |||
Flower | Gentisic acid | Inhibiting α-amylase and α-glucosidase | [233,234][68][69] | ||
Epicatechin | Promoting β-cell regeneration, enhancement of glucose consumption in HepG2 cells | [122,233,235][67][68][70] | |||
22 | Mangifera indica | Kernel | 6-O-galloyl-5′-hydroxy mangiferin; mangiferin; 5-hydroxy mangiferin; methyl gallate | Reducing the blood glucose levels | [236][71] |
Leaf | 1,2,3,4,6 Penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose | Inhibiting 11-β-HSD-1 and ameliorating high-fat diet-induced diabetes | [237][72] | ||
23 | Manilkara zapota | Fruit peel | Gallic acid | Improved glucose transporters and insulin sensitivity through PPAR-γ and Akt signaling | [192,238][19][73] |
Ellagic acid | Stimulating insulin secretion and decreases glucose intolerance by acting on β-cells of the pancreas | [71,238][23][73] | |||
Ferulic acid | Restoring blood glucose and serum insulin level; improving insulin sensitivity, hepatic glycogenesis, glucose tolerance, and insulin tolerance along with reducing the activity of glycogen synthase and glucokinase and also increasing activity of glycogen phosphorylase and enzymes of gluconeogenesis (PEPCK and G6Pase) | [194,238][21][73] | |||
Catechin | α-glucosidase inhibitory actions | [189,238][16][73] | |||
Epicatechin | Promoting β-cell regeneration | [235,238][70][73] | |||
Quercetin | Improving insulin secretion | [188,238][15][73] | |||
24 | Musa sapientum | Pulp | Quercetin | Improving insulin secretion | [188,239][15][74] |
Pectin | Reducing blood glucose level, improving liver glycogen | [188,239][15][74] | |||
Leaf | β-amyrin | Improvement in blood sugar level and plasma insulin along with preservation of β-cell integrity | [206,239][38][74] | ||
Lanosterol | Reducing blood glucose level | [239,240][74][75] | |||
25 | Phyllanthus embelica | Fruit | Coliragin | Regulating fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level | [241,242][76][77] |
Gallic acid | Improved glucose transporters and insulin sensitivity through PPAR-γ and Akt signaling | [192,242][19][77] | |||
Ellagic acid | Stimulating insulin secretion and decreases glucose intolerance by acting on β-cells of the pancreas | [71,242][23][77] | |||
Cinnamic Acid | Stimulation of insulin secretion, enhancement of insulin signaling pathway, the activity of pancreatic β-cell and glucose uptake, inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis, protein glycation, and insulin fibrillation along with the delay of carbohydrate digestion and glucose absorption | [243,244][78][79] | |||
26 | Psidium guajava |
Leaf | Guaijaverin | Inhibiting the activity of DPP-4 | [245][80] |
Avicularin | Inhibiting glucose uptake mediated by GLUT-4 | ||||
27 | Punica granatum | Rind | Valoneic acid dilactone | Inhibiting the activity of aldose reductase and α-amylase enzyme, ameliorating blood glucose levels by inhibiting protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), improved insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells or its release from the bound form along with insulin-mimetic actions along with rejuvenation of glucose utilization technique | [149][81] |
Fruit | Caffeic acid | Reducing blood glucose concentration by inhibiting the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase and increasing insulin secretion | [246,247][82][83] | ||
Fruit, pericarp | Quercetin | Increased glucose uptake via regulation of the AMPK pathway along with improved GLUT-4 expression and regeneration of β-cells in the pancreatic islets | [210,247][43][83] | ||
Rutin | Reducing blood glucose, elevating glycogen concentration | [210,212,247][43][45][83] | |||
Catechin | α-glucosidase inhibitory actions | [189,247][16][83] | |||
Fruit, rind, flower | Gallic acid | Improved glucose transporters and insulin sensitivity through PPAR-γ and Akt signaling | [192,247][19][83] | ||
Fruit, seed, flower | Ellagic acid | Stimulating insulin secretion and decreases glucose intolerance by acting on β-cells of the pancreas | [71,247,248][23][83][84] | ||
Seed | Punicic acid | Increasing serum insulin levels and modulating glucose homeostasis | [247,249][83][85] | ||
Flower | Tricetin 4′-O-β-glucopyranoside | Inhibiting activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase | [248][84] | ||
Tricetin | Inhibiting activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase | [248][84] | |||
Ursolic acid | Lowering blood glucose level | [197,247][25][83] | |||
Mascilinic acid | Improving insulin resistance, hepatic glycogen content, and inhibiting glycogen phosphorylase activity in HepG2 cells | [247,[83250]][86] | |||
Luteolin | Regulating blood glucose, HbA1c, and insulin level | [248,251][84][87] | |||
Fruit, Leaf, Root, Bark | Punicalin | α-glucosidase inhibitory actions | [247,252][83][88] | ||
Leaf | Apigenin | Reduction in serum glucose level, enhancing serum insulin level, nourishment of pancreatic β-cell | [213,[222,46247]][55][83] | ||
Fruit, Root, bark | Punicalagin | α-glucosidase inhibitory actions | [247,252][83][88] | ||
28 | Spondias mombin | Leaf | 3β-olean-12-en-3-yl (9Z)-hexadec-9-enoate | α-amylase inhibitory actions | [253][89] |
Mombintane I; mombintane II | Glucose lowering and α-amylase inhibitory actions | [254][90] | |||
29 | Syzygium cumini | Leaf | Stigmasterol | Lowering serum glucose level | [230][64] |
Lupeol | Improving serum insulin level, reducing glycated hemoglobin and serum glucose | ||||
β-sitosterol | Improving insulin resistance and insulin signaling along with reducing fasting blood glucose level and glycated hemoglobin | [200,230][28][64] | |||
30 | Syzygium samarangense | Leaf | 2′,4′-dihydroxy-3′, 5′-dimethyl-6′-methoxychalcone | Lowering blood glucose level | [255][91] |
Fruit | Vescalagin | Improving insulin resistance and glycemic metabolism | [256][92] | ||
31 | Tamarindus indica | Leaf | Limonene | Inhibiting protein glycation | [201,257][31][93] |
Root bark | Pinitol | Insulin mimetic activity and regulating glucose uptake | [257,258][93][94] | ||
Seed | β-amyrin | Improvement in blood sugar level and plasma insulin along with preservation of β-cell integrity | [206,257][38][93] | ||
Seed, Root bark | β-sitosterol | Improving insulin resistance and insulin signaling along with reducing fasting blood glucose level and glycated hemoglobin | [200,257][28][93] | ||
Fruit | Lupeol | Improving serum insulin level, reducing glycated hemoglobin, serum glucose | [230,257][64][93] | ||
Naringenin | Increased glucose uptake | [217,257][50][93] | |||
Catechin | α-glucosidase inhibitory actions | [189,257][16][93] | |||
Epicatechin | Promoting β-cell regeneration | [235,257][70][93] | |||
32 | Ziziphus mauritiana | Aerial Part | Berberine | Insulin mimetic activity and improving the action of insulin by activating AMPK, decreasing insulin resistance through protein kinase C-dependent up-regulation of insulin receptor expression, enhancing GLP-1 secretion and modulating its release, inhibiting actions of DPP-4 | [203][34] |
Quercetin | Improving insulin secretion | [188,203][15][34] | |||
Diosgenin | Reducing intestinal disaccharidases, blood glucose level, and activity of α-Glucosidase along with modification of hepatocyte absorption of glucose and insulin resistance and insulin secretion | [203,259][34][95] | |||
Kaempferol | Inhibiting the activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase along with glucose-lowering activity | [203,212][34][45] | |||
Fruit | Ursolic acid | Lowering blood glucose level | [197 |