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Abstract

Opuntia species, which belong to the Cactaceae family, are well-known and have long been utilized in folk medicine. Scholars have been interested in the stems, fruits, and cladodes of Opuntia species in recent years because of their possible nutraceutical content and therapeutic properties. While Opuntia stricta (O. stricta) is a well-known Cactaceae family member, it is a relatively unknown herbal plant in Zambia, where it is viewed primarily as a flower and only a few local people use it as a complementary herbal medicine to manage chronic illnesses such as diabetes mellitus. Much is not known about its chemical composition and putative in-vitro antidiabetic pharmacological action. Therefore, this review provided experimental data regarding chemical composition, in-vitro pharmacological mechanism, and potential indications of O. stricta in the prevention and management of various chronic conditions.