Antidiabetic Potential of Syzygium sp.: An Overview

Diabetes, characterized by hyperglycemia, is one of the most significant metabolic diseases, reaching alarming pandemic proportions. It can be due to the defects in insulin action, or secretion, or both. The global prevalence of diabetes is estimated at 425 million people in 2017, and expected to rise to 629 million by 2045 due to an increasing trend of unhealthy lifestyles, physical inactivity, and obesity. Several treatment options are available to diabetics, however, some of the antidiabetic drugs result in adverse side effects such as hypoglycemia. Hence, there has been a proliferation of studies on natural products with antidiabetic effects, including plants from the Myrtaceae family, such as Psidium guajava, Eucalyptus globulus, Campomanesia xanthocarpa, and more significantly, Syzygium sp. Previous studies have shown that a number of Syzygium species had potent antidiabetic effects and were safe for consumption. This review aims to discuss the antidiabetic potential of Syzygium sp., based on in vitro and in vivo evidence.