Coreopsis tinctoria and its bioactives in the prevention and management of diabetes and diabetic complications

Diabetes, one of the major metabolic diseases, has become a major public health concern worldwide leading to chronic lesions in various organs such as kidney and cardiovascular disease, severely impacting quality of life and life expectancy. Current drug treatments for diabetes have varying degrees of side effects. Therefore, finding natural, safe, and effective functional foods to prevent and control diabetes and its complications has become a research hotspot. Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt. (C. tinctoria) is rich in polyphenols (e.g. flavonoids), polysaccharides, and other bioactive components, possessing various health benefits. Studies have shown that C. tinctoria flavonoids lower blood sugar levels through multiple pathways, including suppressing oxidative stress, decreasing the inflammatory cascade, regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, increasing insulin sensitivity and improving insulin resistance. This review briefly summarizes the research progress on diabetes and its complications, and details the mechanisms of action of C. tinctoria bioactives in prevention and treatment of diabetes and its complications. The aim is to provide the molecular mechanisms of C. tinctoria and its bioactives for a potential application of C. tinctoria in controlling diabetes and its complications.