Abstract

There is a long history of using traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN). However, their functioning mechanisms are still unknown. In this chapter, we summarize some common Chinese herbs that have been applied to treat DM and/or HTN since ancient times. Their active ingredients and the underlying mechanisms have been expounded. This may provide us a better understanding of the functions of these TCM for the treatment of DM and HTN, as well as a clue to unveil their possible efficacies for these chronic diseases. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to more accurately represent TCM in this field.