Hypoglycaemic Molecules for the Management of Diabetes Mellitus from Marine Sources

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder recognized as a major health problem globally. A defective insulin activity contributes to the prevalence and expansion of DM. Treatment of DM is often hampered by limited options of conventional therapies and adverse effects associated with existing procedures. This has led to a spike in the exploration for potential therapeutic agents from various natural resources for clinical applications. The marine environment is a huge store of unexplored diversity of chemicals produced by a multitude of organisms. To date, marine microorganisms, microalgae, macroalgae, corals, sponges, and fishes have been evaluated for their anti-diabetic properties. The structural diversity of bioactive metabolites discovered has shown promising hypoglycaemic potential through in vitro and in vivo screenings via various mechanisms of action, such as PTP1B, alpha-glucosidase, alpha-amylase, beta-glucosidase, and aldose reductase inhibition as well as PPAR alpha/gamma dual agonists activities. On the other hand, hypoglycaemic effect is also shown to be exerted through the balance of antioxidants and free radicals. This review highlights marine-derived chemicals with hypoglycaemic effects and their respective mechanisms of action in the management of DM in humans.

Automated summary

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global health problem due to defective insulin activity. Conventional therapies for DM are limited and often have adverse effects. Therefore, there is an increased focus on exploring potential therapeutic agents from natural resources. Marine organisms, including microorganisms, microalgae, macroalgae, corals, sponges, and fishes, have been evaluated for their anti-diabetic properties. The bioactive metabolites discovered show promising hypoglycaemic potential through various mechanisms of action and antioxidant activities. This review highlights marine-derived chemicals as potential treatments for DM.