Plants used for the treatment of diabetes in Jordan: A review of scientific evidence

Figures & data

Table 1.  Antidiabetic plants indigenous to Jordan used for the treatment of diabetes in folk medicine in Jordan.

No.	Species	Family name	Common name	Plant parts	Method of Preparation	Other Uses	References for anti-diabetic activity
1	Achillea fragrantissima (Forsk.) Sch. Bip^d	Asteraceae	Qaisoom	Leaves and shoots	Infusion	Cold, cough, abdominal pain, arthritis inflammation, kidney stones	Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000
2	Achillea santolina L.^a	Asteraceae	Kaisoom, jeaidat el-sabian	Leaves, flowering branches	Infusion	Cold, anticolic, kidney stones	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
3	Ajuga iva L. (Schreber)^a	Labiatae	Missaykah	Herb	Decoction	Catarrh, headache, feminine sterility	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
4	Alchemilla vulgaris L.^c	Rosaceae	Rjel elasad	Leaves, roots	Decoction	Inflammation	Aburjai et al., 2007
5	Alhagi marourum Medicus ^d	Leguminosae	Aqol	Roots	Decoction	Urinary tract infection	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
6	Allium cepa L.^a, b	Liliaceae	Basal	Leaves	Row bulbs, oil	Cholesterol reduction	Lev & Amar, 2002; Said et al., 2002; Otoom et al., 2006
7	Allium sativum L.^a, b	Liliaceae	Thome	Bulb/cloves	Fresh and dried raw cloves, bulbs	Asthma, cholesterol reduction, hypotensive	Otoom et al., 2006
8	Aloe vera L.^a, b	Liliaceae	Sabra morrah	Leaves’ juice	Infusion	Kidney sand and stone, burns and skin diseases, wounds	Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000
9	Ambrosia maritima L.^a	Asteraceae	Ghubayrah, damsis	Herb	Infusion	Rheumatism, asthma	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
10	Anthemis pseudocotula Boiss^d	Asteraceae	Kahwan	Flowering head, leaves	Infusion	Bactericide, antifungal, anti-tumor	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
11	Artemisia herba-alba Asso.^a ( syn.: A. inculta)	Asteraceae	Sheech	Flowers, shoots, leaves	Decoction	Cold, hypercholesterolemia, kidney stones	Al-Khalil, 1995; Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000; Aburjai et al., 2007
12	A. judaica L.^d	Asteraceae	Baethran	Flowering tops	Infusion	Antispasmodic	Hudaib et al., 2008
13	A. vulgaris L.^a	Asteraceae	Baethran	Flowering head	Infusion	Abdominal pain, dysentery	Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000
14	Avena sativa L.^a	Graminae	Shufan	Seeds	Infusion	Stomach and intestinal catarrh	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
15	Capparis spinosa L.^a	Capparaceae	Kabbar	Flowers, fruits	Decoction	Rheumatism, male and female sterility	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
16	Cephalaria syriaca (L.) Roemer et Schultes d	Dipsacaceae	Zewan	Aerial parts	Infusion	Inflammation	Al-Khalil, 1995
17	Ceratonia siliqua L.^a	Fabaceae	Harrub	Leaves	Decoction	Laxative, diuretic	Said et al., 2002
18	Cichorium intybus L.^a	Asteraceae	Hendiba	Flowers, roots	Decoction	Antiseptic anemia, antipyretic	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
19	C. pumilum L.^d	Asteraceae	Hendiba	Aerial parts	Decoction	Fever, stomach and liver troubles	Al-Khalil, 1995; Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
20	Citrullus colocynthis L. (Schrad) ^a	Cucurbitaceae	Handal	Dry fruits, seeds	Infusion	Rheumatism	Dafni, 1984; Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000; Hudaib et al., 2008
21	Citrus limon (Linn.) Burm.^d	Rutaceae	Leimoon	Fruits	Fresh	Refreshing, stomachic, general health	Lev & Amar, 2002
22	C. paradisi Macfad^d	Rutaceae	Grapefuit	Fruits	Raw	Heart diseases, weight loss	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
23	C. sinensis (L.) Osbeck^a	Rutaceae	Bourtaqal	Peels	Decoction	Carminative, stomachic	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
24	Cleome droserifolia (Forskal) Delil^d	Capparaceae	Magnuna	Leaves	Decoction	Liver diseases	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
25	Coriandrum sativum L.^a	Umbelliferae	Kuzbara	Seeds	Decoction	Carminative, stomachic, digestive	Otoom et al., 2006
26	Coridothymus capitatus (L.) Reichenb. fil.^a (syn. Thymus capitatus (L.) Hoffmanns.& Link)	Lamiaceae	Za’ter farisi	Leaves	Infusion	Heart diseases, respiratory system inflammations	Said et al., 2002
27	Crataegus aronia L. Bosc. ex DC ^a	Rosaceae	Za’rur	Flowers, fruits	Decoction	Digestive system, urinary system, rheumatism	Ali-Shtayeh et al., 2000
28	Crataegus azarolus L.^d	Rosaceae	Za’rur	Flowers, fruits	Decoction	Heart diseases, cancer, sexual weakness	Said et al., 2002
29	Cucurbita maxima Duchesne^d	Cucurbitaceae	Al-qra’al asfar	Seeds	Dry seeds	Ulcer	Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000
30	Cuminum cyminum L.^a	Umbelliferae	Kammun	Fruits	Dry fruits	Flatulence, stomach disorders	Otoom et al., 2006
31	Eryngium creticum Lam.^a	Umbelliferae	Qursaneh	Aerial parts	Decoction	Snake bites, infertility	Dafni, 1984
32	Eucalyptus globulus Labill. ^a	Myrtaceae	Kalebtuz	Leaves, oil	Decoction	Respiratory system diseases, fever	Otoom et al., 2006
33	Ferula persica Wild.^c	Umbelliferae	Haltit	Roots, resin	Decoction	Abortion	Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000, Lev & Amar, 2002
34	Geranium graveolens L.^a	Geraniaceae	Utryye	Leaves	Decoction	Diuretic, stomachic	Al-Khalil, 1995; Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
35	Gundelia tournefortii L.^d	Asteraceae	Kaoob	Roots	Decoction	Laxative, emollient	Al-Khalil, 1995
36	Juglans regia L.^a	Juglandaceae	Djauz	Leaves	Decoction	Skin diseases, diarrhea	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998, Said et al., 2002
37	Juniperus phoenicea L.^d	Cupressaceae	Ar-Ar	Fruits, leaves	Decoction	Rheumatism	Al-Khalil, 1995
38	Laurus nobilis L.^a	Lauraceae	Ghar	Fruit, leaves	Decoction	Rheumatic and neuralgic pain, wound treatment	Lev & Amar, 2002
39	Lupinus albus L.^a	Papilionaceae	Thurmus	Seeds	Boiled seeds	Emollient, vermifuge	Otoom et al., 2006
40	Matricaria aurea (Loefl.)^d	Asteraceae	Babonej	Flower heads	Decoction	Cold, abdominal pain	Dafni, 1984; Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000
41	Mentha spicata L.^d	Labiatae	Na’na berriye	Seeds and oil	Infusion	Arthritis	Lev & Amar, 2002
42	Morus nigra L.^a	Moraceae	Tut	Leaves	Decoction	Teeth and gum inflammations	Said et al., 2002
43	Nigella sativa L.^a	Ranunculaceae	Qzha, Hab al-soda	Seed	Seed oil	General tonic, arthritis	Otoom et al., 2006
44	Olea europaea L.^a	Oleaceae	Zaitoon	Oil, leaves	Decoction	Cold, hypercholes-terolemia	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998, Otoom et al., 2006; Hudaib et al., 2008
45	Ononis natrix L.^d	Leguminosae	Wasba	Whole plant	Decoction	Intestinal spasm, fever	Hudaib et al., 2008
46	Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill.^a	Cactaceae	Saber	Fruits	Edible fruits	Diuretic	Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000
47	Origanum syriacum L.^d	Labiatae	Za’ter	Leaves	Decoction	Cold, abdominal pain, loss of memory	Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000
48	Paronychia argentea Lam.^b, c	Caryophyllaceae	Rejel Elhamam	Herb	Decoction	Urinary tract infection, kidney stones	Dafni, 1984; Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
49	Peganum harmala Linn.^c	Zygophyllaceae	Harmal	Seeds	Decoction	Cold, rheumatic pain	Lev & Amar, 2002
50	Pistacia atlantica Desf. ^b, c	Anacardiaceae	Butum	Leaves	Decoction	Antiseptic	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
51	P. palaestina Boiss ^d	Anacardiaceae	Butum	Shoot, leaves roots	Decoction	Antihypertensive, antispasmodic	Aburjai et al., 2007
52	Plantago major L.^d	Plantaginaceae	Lisan al hamal	Seeds	Decoction	Indigestion, sterility, eye diseases	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
53	P. ovata Forskal^a	Plantaginaceae	Qreta, kibash	Seeds	Decoction	Chronic constipation, dysentery	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
54	Portulaca oleraceae L.^a	Portulacaceae	Baqleh	Herb	Decoction	Pulmonary diseases, laxative, wound healing	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998, Said et al., 2002
55	Prosopis farcta (Banks et Sol.) Macbride^a	Mimosaceae	Yanboot	Roots	Decoction	Kidney stones, antihypertensive, diuretic	Dafni, 1984; Al-Khalil, 1995; Said et al., 2002
56	Quercus coccifera L.^d	Fagaceae	Balloot	Galls	Decoction	Astringent, chronic diarrhea, dysentery, ulcer treatment	Al-Khalil, 1995
57	Rheum ribes Linn.^a	Polygonaceae	Rabbas	Roots	Decoction	Hypertension, kidney sand and stones, obesity	Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000
58	Ruta chalepensis L.^d	Rutaceae	Feijen Southab	Leaves, buds, roots	Decoction	Antispasmopdic, arthritis, skin diseases	Aburjai et al., 2007
59	Salvia fruticosa Mill. (syn. S. triloba L.)^a	Lamiaceae	Meramiyye	Leaves	Infusion	Stomach ache, intestinal disorders	Said et al., 2002, Otoom et al., 2006
60	Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach.^a, b	Rosaceae	Bellan	Roots	Infusion, decoction	Digestion, stomach ache	Dafni, 1984; Al-Khalil, 1995; Oran & Eisawi,1998; Said et al., 2002; Aburjai et al., 2007, Hudaib et al., 2008
61	Taraxacum cyprium H. Lindb.^d	Asteraceae	Hendiba berriye	Herb	Infusion	Chronic constipation, eczema	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
62	Teucrium polium L.^a	Lamiaceae	Ja’deh	Shoots, leaves, aerial parts	Decoction	Abdominal pain, urinary tract infection	Dafni, 1984; Al-Khalil, 1995; Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998; Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000; Said et al., 2002; Aburjai et al., 2007
63	Trigonella foenum-graecum L.^a, b	Leguminoseae	Hulbah	Seeds	Infusion	Kidney sand and stones, general weakness	Al-Khalil, 1995; Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998, Lev & Amar, 2002, Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000, Said et al., 2002, Otoom et al., 2006
64	Triticum dicoccoides (Koern. Ex Asherson & Graebner) Aaronsohn^d	Graminae	Kamh	Grains	Dry, infusion	Calmative	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
65	Urtica dioica L.^a, b	Urticaceae	Qurreis	Herb	Decoction	Liver diseases, cancer, stomach pain, skin and hair	Otoom et al., 2006
66	Varthemia iphionoides Boiss and Blanche ^a, b	Asteraceae	Qtteileh	Shoots, leaves	Decoction	Abdominal pain	Abu-Irmaileh & Afifi, 2000; Hudaib et al., 2008
67	Zea mays L.^a	Poaceae	Dur’a	Kernel	Decoction	Urinary tract, weight loss	Otoom et al., 2006
68	Zygophyllum simplex L.^d	Zygophyllaceae	Hamad	All plant	Decoction	-	Oran & Al-Eisawi, 1998
69	Zizyphus spina-christi (L.) Desf.^a	Rhamnaceae	Sader, nabaq	Fruits, leaves, bark	Infusion	Abdominal pain, laxative, astringent	Said et al., 2002

a. Plants with in vitro/in vivo tested hypoglycemic activity.

b. Plants with tested α-amylase/α-glucosidase inhibitory activities.

c. Plants with no proven hypoglycemic and antidiabetic activities.

d. Recommended plant species without reported in vivo/in vitro hypoglycemic activities.

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