**12. Conclusion**

Diabetes mellitus and all its comorbidities constitute major causes of high economic loss which can in turn pose significant challenges to the economic development of developing nations [145]. Despite efforts aimed at containing the disease, no definite cure has been found. Although the current available therapies have yielded appreciable improvements in the quality of life of diabetics, several reports have indicated that such improvements are not without the associated side effects. Studies have confirmed the benefits of medicinal plants with hypoglycaemic effects in the management of diabetes mellitus and many phytomedical preparations and compounds have been touted as candidates for antidiabet‐ ic drug development. However, the rate of developing these drugs is very slow, with only one clinical drug being reported to have gone from plant to pharmacy [110]. Therefore, there should be a focus on developing effective drugs from potent antidiabetic botanicals already identified while further research continues with new plants for the discovery of novel candidates for antidiabetic drugs. Also, potent herbal extracts should be standar‐ dized and made commercially available as many of these extracts often lack the draw‐ backs associated with single compounds.

Antidiabetic plants do not always have the same mechanism of actions because activities relate to their effects on the pancreatic β cells, the protective/inhibitory effect against insulinase and the increase of insulin sensitivity or the insulin-like activity of the plant extracts. Other mechanisms may involve improved glucose homeostasis, inhibition of intestinal glucose absorption, reduction of glycaemic index of carbohydrates. The mechanisms of action of antidiabetic botanicals need to be properly delineated so that different cases of diabetes can be specifically addressed.

Further research studies on the antidabetic potentials of botanicals, especially in developing countries, are suggested. The aims of such studies should be to find the botanicals with the most effective antidiabetic activities and to examine the possibilities of developing these active ingredients into antidiabetic drugs for the effective management and treatment of diabetes.
