Antioxidants of Butterfly Pea Flowers on Glycemic and Antidiabetic Responses: Literature Review

Abstract

Introduction: Butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea) contains antioxidants particularly anthocyanins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids that have been investigated for their potential effects on glycemic regulation and antidiabetic activity. This narrative review synthesizes findings from in vitro studies, in vivo experiments, and limited human trials to evaluate the strength of evidence supporting these effects.

Method: Literature searches were conducted using ScienceDirect, PubMed, Elsevier, and ResearchGate, and 5 primary studies that met the inclusion criteria (original research on glycemic or antidiabetic outcomes) were reviewed. The majority of available evidence originates from animal studies using diabetic rodent models, supported by several mechanistic in vitro investigations and a small number of short-term human trials.

Result: Overall, in vivo studies consistently report reductions in blood glucose, improvements in insulin sensitivity, decreases in oxidative stress markers, and protective effects on pancreatic β-cells, whereas human studies demonstrate only modest, acute improvements in antioxidant capacity without clinically significant changes in glycemic parameters.

Conclusion: This review contributes to the current literature by comparing different extract types, dosages, and highlighting anthocyanins as key bioactive compounds most frequently associated with antidiabetic mechanisms However, due to the predominance of preclinical evidence and the scarcity of robust clinical trials, the therapeutic potential of butterfly pea flower in diabetes management remains preliminary.