2型糖尿病（type 2 diabetes mellitus，T2DM）是以胰岛素抵抗和胰岛细胞功能衰竭为特征的慢性代谢性疾病。在T2DM的病情进展中，胰岛β细胞功能衰竭程度持续加重，且现有临床治疗药物均无法阻止T2DM患者胰岛β细胞功能衰退。如能针对β细胞功能受损进行干预，则有望改变T2DM的进程甚至治愈T2DM。对天然药物中通过作用于胰岛β细胞来发挥T2DM治疗作用的小分子化合物研究进展进行综述，并阐释其具体的作用机制，以期为相关药物研发提供参考。

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by insulin resistance and dysfunctional pancreatic β cells. The degree of pancreatic β cells dysfunction is positive correlated with the progression of T2DM; Moreover, existing clinical therapeutic drugs for T2DM are unable to prevent β cell dysfunction. Thus, intervention against dysfunctional pancreatic β cells might be a useful therapeutic strategy to remit even cure T2DM. This article summarizes the research progress on natural products targeting pancreatic β cells for diabetic treatment, with view to providing the reference for the research and development of related drugs.