Advances of neurovascular protective potential of 3-N-butylphthalide and its derivatives in diabetic related diseases

3-N-butylphthalide (NBP) is a component isolated from seeds of Chinese celery, and it was firstly approved for the treatment of ischemic stroke. With the gradual in-depth understanding of its pharmacological action, it was found that it may have potential effects on treating diabetes and its complications. This review aims to illustrate the researches on the properties of NBP and its therapeutic efficacy in diabetic related diseases. This review will discuss the results of experiments in vitro and in vivo to make progress in understanding the beneficial effects of NBP and its derivatives on diabetic complications including diabetic vascular diseases, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, diabetic brain related diseases and diabetic cataract. We will also demonstrate NBP's numerous molecular targets and interactions with multiple cellular signaling pathways such as oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, apoptosis and autophagy. NBP is proved to be a potential therapeutic approach for treating diabetic complications. •Oxidative stress may play important role in diabetic related diseases•3-N-Butylphthalide and its derivatives may regulate multiple cellular signaling pathways such as oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, apoptosis and autophagy.•3-N-Butylphthalide and its derivatives may serve as a potential treatment option for diabetic related diseases.