Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic progressive metabolic disease characterized by
chronic hyperglycemia. Although its main physiological abnormalities are insulin resistance and
impaired insulin secretion the specific underlying determinants of these metabolic defects
remain uncertain. There are complex interactions between genetic epigenetic environmental and
behavioral factors that contribute to the development of diabetes. Non-pharmacological and
pharmacological interventions have been used for diabetic management. Over the past few years
research has started to focus on the use of novel adjuvant drugs as antioxidants and
anti-inflammatory drugs for better management as it was revealed that both oxidative stress
and inflammation play a critical role in the disease pathogenesis. Thus the development of
antidiabetic drugs that can reverse insulin resistance is a potential therapeutic target.
Although antidiabetic drugs may be effective in improving glycemic control they do not appear
to be effective in entirely preventing the progression of pancreatic ß-cells damage mediated by
chronic hyperglycemia-induced decline in intracellular antioxidants. Therefore antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory therapy should be considered as an adjunct to the commonly used oral
antidiabetics
