**Savior of Diabetes: Antioxidants**

**Savior of Diabetes: Antioxidants**

Zar Chi Thent and Azian Abd Latiff Zar Chi Thent and Azian Abd Latiff Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.71748

#### **Abstract**

Introduction: The exposure of humans to antioxidants regulating the process and progress of diabetes mellitus (DM) is of major interest. Several phytoactive compounds such as flavonoids, lignans, prophenylphenols, etc. possess antioxidant property. Antioxidants exert free radical scavenging activity, improve the insulin sensitivity and pancreatic β cell activity, stimulate insulin secretion, and reduce the carbohydrate absorption. Antioxidants also combat complications like diabetic wound healing by increasing the collagen deposition, improving the fibroblasts level, and decreasing the 11-β hydroxydehydrogenase level. They revert the cardiovascular changes of DM by reducing the lipid profile level. Antioxidants also exert their regulatory effect on diabetic nephropathy and peripheral vascular diseases. Body-research methods: The terms "diabetes" or "diabetes mellitus" or type 1 diabetes mellitus" or "type 2 diabetes mellitus" or "hyperglycaemia" or "antioxidant" or "antioxidant" combined with "diabetic complication" were searched in following databases such as PubMed, Web of Science Scopus, and Google Scholar. Conclusion: Understanding the effects of antioxidants against DM is beneficial for disease progress assessment and development of prophylaxis regimens. Although several researches are carried out on antioxidants, current population has still less confidence on them. Hence, more detailed analysis and clinical studies investigating on the underlying mechanisms of antioxidants towards DM are mandatory.

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.71748

**Keywords:** diabetes mellitus, antioxidant, prophylaxis, natural products, supplementation
