ANTIDIABETIC POTENTIAL OF THE GENUS Hydrolea: A NARRATIVE REVIEW OF CURRENT EVIDENCE AND MECHANISTIC INSIGHTS

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from impaired insulin secretion, insulin action, or both, and is closely associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. The genus Hydrolea contains diverse secondary metabolites, and several species have been reported to exhibit activities potentially relevant to diabetes management. This narrative review summarizes the available evidence on the phytochemistry, antidiabetic activity, and potential mechanisms of Hydrolea. Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Garuda using “Hydrolea” as the sole search term. No publication-year restriction was applied to PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, or Garuda, whereas Google Scholar was restricted to publications from 2000 to 2026. Studies were selected based on their relevance to antidiabetic activity and supporting phytochemical, antioxidant, and pharmacological evidence. The available evidence indicates that H. zeylanica is the most extensively investigated species, with reported antihyperglycemic effects, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition, improved insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis, and modulation of oxidative stress and inflammation. In contrast, evidence for H. spinosa remains limited despite its ethnomedicinal use and preliminary pharmacological findings. Overall, Hydrolea represents a potential source of antidiabetic bioactive compounds; however, current evidence remains limited and is predominantly derived from H. zeylanica. Further bioassay-guided isolation, structural characterization, molecular target validation, and in vivo studies are required to identify active compounds and confirm their mechanisms of action.