Volume :
3
Issue :
4
Abstract :
Since ancient times, plants have been an exemplary source of medicine. Ayurveda and other Indian literature mentioned the use of plants in treatment of various human ailments. Medical plants play an important role in the management of diabetes mellitus especially in developing countries where resources are meager. Oral hypoglycemic agents like sulphonylureas and biguanides are still the major players in the management of the disease but there is growing interest in herbal remedies due to the side effects associated with the oral hypoglycemic agents. Herbal medicines have been the highly esteemed source of medicine throughout human history. Hyperlipidemia has been ranked as one of the greatest risk factors contributing to prevalence and severity of coronary heart diseases. Hyperlipidemia is a condition when abnormally high levels of lipids i.e. the fatty substances are found in the blood. Hypolipidemic drugs are extensively used as prophylactic agents to prevent such atherosclerosis induced disorders. But these hypolipidemic drugs are not free from adverse effects. Many plant derivatives and domestic remedies have been screened for their hypolipidemic action. More than 70 medicinal plants have been documented to have significant hypolipidemic action. During the last decade, an increase in the use of medicinal plants has been observed in metropolitan areas of developed countries. Medicinal plants play a major role in diabetes and hypolipidemic activity. The advantages of herbal medicines reported are effectiveness, safety, affordability and acceptability, this review focus on diabeties and hyperlipidemia and the role of plants used for the treatment of diabeties and hyperlipidemia.