Plants used in Mexican folk medicine with antidiabetic and antihypertensive properties

Diabetes mellitus and hypertension (high blood pressure) are the most common diseases with high risk affecting most of the worldwide adult population in both sexes. In Mexico, cardiovascular diseases are the first cause of morbidity and mortality. Diabetes mellitus is the first cause of death in women and ischemic heart disease becomes the leading cause of mortality in men; high blood pressure is one of the major risk factors for coronary artery disease and stroke, is currently among the ten leading causes of death worldwide. Generally, for the therapeutic management of both diseases is using multiple drugs with different chemical structures and different mechanisms of action, which aim to normalize blood glucose and blood pressure levels. These are managed for a long time, which often represents a high economic cost. On the other hand, some patients have no adherence to treatment as this one, is ineffective, the adverse effects are situations that require change or discontinue medication immediately. With these remarks it is important the developments of new antidiabetic or antihypertensive agents, the medicinal plants are an option. Scientific interest aimed at the search phytotherapeutic drugs for the treatment of these diseases has led the conduct of research that validates the use of medicinal plants, or they have found new agents with antidiabetic and antihypertensive properties. In Mexico, has been reported at educational institutions and research, a number of plants widely used in Mexican folk medicine, with high potential to be used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and hypertension.