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Currently, there is no known cure for diabetes. Different pharmaceutical therapies have been approved for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), some are in clinical trials and they have been classified according to their route or mechanism of action. Insulin types, sulfonylureas, biguanides, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, thiazolidinediones, meglitinides, sodium–glucose cotransporter type 2 inhibitors, and incretin-dependent therapies (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: GLP-1R, and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors: DPP-4). Although some of the currently available drugs are effective in the management of T2DM, the side effects resulting from prolonged use of these drugs remain a serious challenge. GLP-1R agonists are currently the preferred medications to include when oral metformin alone is insufficient to manage T2DM. Medicinal plants now play prominent roles in the management of various diseases globally because they are readily available and affordable as well as having limited and transient side effects. Recently, studies have reported the ability of phytochemicals to activate glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R), acting as an agonist just like the GLP-1R agonist with beneficial effects in the management of T2DM. Consequently, we propose that careful exploration of phytochemicals for the development of novel therapeutic candidates as GLP-1R agonists will be a welcome breakthrough in the management of T2DM and the co-morbidities associated with T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heliotropium indicum are used in ethnomedicine for treating skin rashes, inflammation, tumors and various diseases of microbial origin. Previous work focused on phytochemical constituents, antibacterial activities and isolated compounds. The whole plant was air dried and pulverized (600 g). It was extracted with ethanol and concentrated to dryness in vacuo (20 g). Screening for phytochemical groups was performed using qualitative methods. The antibacterial activity was performed using agar diffusion and antifungal activity using ditch plate method. Compounds were characterized using Gas-chromatography Mass Spectrometry. The results of the phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phenols, saponins, terpenoids and cardiac glycosides. The results further showed the crude extract of the plant to be moderate to strong antibacterial activity with zones of inhibition ranging from 12.0 + 1.6 mm and 25 +1.7 mm. the crude extracts of Heliotropium indicum demonstrated antibacterial properties which confirmed the traditional use of this plant in treating skin rashes and boil. In addition, the presence of Palmitate and Linoleic acid I the plant as revealed in this study justified the use of this plant in treating hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]