Hundred Medicinal Plants used as Anti-diabetic in Traditional Medicine in Afghanistan

Diabetes mellitus remains a critical global health challenge, with Afghanistan disproportionately affected due to limited access to conventional treatments. Despite extensive traditional use of medicinal plants for diabetes management, no prior systematic review has comprehensively documented Afghanistan's anti-diabetic flora, their bioactive compounds, mechanisms of action, or preparation methods. This study bridges this gap through a PRISMA-guided systematic review of 100 medicinal plants from Afghanistan's ethnomedicine, analyzing their anti-diabetic potential using exclusively peer-reviewed ethnobotanical, pharmacological, and biomedical literature (2000–2024). Databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, regional repositories) were searched with keywords: "Diabetes Mellitus," "Traditional Medicine," "Phytochemicals," "Anti-diabetic plants," AND "Afghanistan." Inclusion criteria encompassed in vitro/in vivo/clinical studies on Afghan plants; exclusions were non-peer-reviewed sources, conference abstracts, and studies lacking methodological clarity. Fabaceae (14 species), Lamiaceae (9), and Asteraceae (8) emerged as dominant families. Flavonoids (65% of plants), alkaloids (25%), and saponins (20%) were primary bioactive compounds, with key mechanisms including insulin sensitization (e.g., Trigonella foenum-graecum), α-glucosidase inhibition (e.g., Cinnamomum tamala), and antioxidant effects (e.g., Zingiber officinale). This synthesis validates Afghanistan's ethnobotanical heritage as a viable resource for diabetes management, though clinical trials and standardization protocols are urgently needed to translate traditional knowledge into evidence-based therapies.