Anti-Diabetic Potential of Plant-Based Pentacyclic Triterpene Derivatives: Progress Made to Improve Efficacy and Bioavailability

Diabetes mellitus (DM) results from the inability of the pancreas to produce sufficient insulin or weakened cellular response to the insulin produced, which leads to hyperglycemia. Current treatments of DM focus on the use of oral hypoglycemic drugs such as acarbose, alpha-glucose inhibitors, sulphonylureas, thiazolidinediones, and biguanides to control blood glucose levels. However, these medications are known to have various side effects in addition to their bioavailability, efficacy, and safety concerns. These drawbacks have increased interest in the anti-diabetic potential of plant-derived bioactive compounds such as oleanolic and maslinic acids. Although their efficacy in ameliorating blood glucose levels has been reported in several studies, their bioavailability and efficacy remain of concern. The current review examines the anti-diabetic effects of oleanolic, maslinic, asiatic, ursolic, and corosolic acids and their derivatives, as well as the progress made thus far to enhance their bioavailability and efficacy. The literature for the current review was gathered from leading academic databases—including Google Scholar and PubMed—the key words listed below were used. The literature was searched as widely and comprehensively as possible without a defined range of dates.