Solomon Habtemariam
University of Greenwich, UK
Title: The search for novel antidiabetic compounds of natural origin: Where are we now?
Biography
Biography: Solomon Habtemariam
Abstract
Numerous studies indicate that diabetes cases along with its major risk factor, obesity, are increasing with an alarming rate of epidemic proportions. These two interlinked conditions alone are also expected to bankrupt the health care system of many countries in the next few decades. A breakthrough for diabetes is not expected in the very near future, and the exiting available therapeutic options are mainly designed to target glycemic control and/or management of the associated diseases including cardiovascular complications. Ironically, thousands of compounds are reported in the scientific literature every year with a promise for diabetes and obesity therapy. The various structural classes of natural products that we and other groups show efficacy in vitro and in vivo are staggeringly high. There is also an emerging concept of diabetes/obesity control by the so called ‘functional’ or ‘medicinal foods’. But, why then are we still not seeing a breakthrough in diabetes and/or obesity therapy by natural products? This lecture highlights the complexity of these diseases and principles of therapeutic options by natural products. It also assesses the various natural compounds that act through different mechanisms and some key hot therapeutic targets that gained interest in recent years.
