Diabetes is a metabolic disorder and over the past decades, it has become a major cause for morbidity and mortality affecting the youth and middle-aged as it is fourth leading cause of disease related to death. In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes the severe pathogenesis causes micro vascular complications: nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathyand macro vascular complications:cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and stroke.Under hyperglycemia, activation of different signalling mechanisms such as increased polyol pathway, advanced-glycation end product formation, activation of Protein Kinase C and hexosamine pathway leads to the overexpression of reactive oxygen species and causes pathogenesis of diabetic complications. It is necessary to understand these pathways in diabetic complications causing damage to the secondary system of the body. In past decade the understanding of these biochemical changes has increased tremendously and various molecules have been exploited as therapeutic targets for diabetic complications as better therapeutic approach. In this review, a brief overview about diabetes mellitus and chronic complications with their current understandings of cellular/molecular mechanisms and targeted therapies along with novel therapeutic strategies are discussed.

Context: Protein glycation is the major contributing factor in the development of diabetic complications. The antiglycation potential of medicinal plants provides a promising opportunity as complementary interventions for complications. Objective: To investigate the antiglycation potential of 19 medicinal plants extracts using albumin by estimating different indicators: (1) glycation (early and late), (2) albumin oxidation, and (3) amyloid aggregation. Materials and methods: The effect of aqueous plant extracts (1% w/v) on protein glycation was assessed by incubating albumin (10 mg/mL) with fructose (250 mM) for 4 days. Degree of protein glycation in the absence and presence of plant extracts was assessed by estimating fructosamine, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), carbonyls, free thiol group and β-amyloid aggregation. Results: Petroselinum crispum, Boerhavia diffusa, Terminalia chebula, Swertia chirayita and Glycyrrhiza glabra showed significant antiglycating activity. P. crispum and A. barbadensis inhibited the carbonyl stress and protected the thiol group from oxidative damage. There was significant correlation between protein thiols and amyloid inhibition (R = −.69, p < .001). Conclusion: P. crispum, B. diffusa and T. chebula had the most potent antiglycation activity. These plant exerted noticeable antiglycation activity at different glycation modifications of albumin. These findings are important for identifying plants with potential to combat diabetic complications.