## 1 Introduction  
Medicinal herbs have been used for millenia and are regarded as the roots of modern medicine. Plant-derived compounds are abundant sources of secondary metabolites for drugs [1], each with a unique physiological impact on the body [2]. Several secondary metabolites offer various pharmacological uses, including antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, antiviral, and antiprotozoan activities [3, 4, 5, 6].  
Owing to their numerous health advantages, including anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects, antioxidants have recently gained significant scientific attention [7]. Free radicals are considered to be pathophysiological agents. Consequently, consuming antioxidants protects against oxidative stress by limiting the production of reactive species [8]. Additionally, experimental data show that high antioxidant levels may help reduce numerous forms of free-radical damage linked to diabetes mellitus (DM) development [8].  
DM is a complicated multifactorial condition characterized by hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and glucose intolerance, either due to a relative lack of insulin production or diminished capacity to effectively stimulate glucose absorption. Furthermore, as the disease progresses, it causes harmful changes in the body, such as nephropathy, retinopathy, and cardiovascular issues [9]. Diabetes is divided into two subtypes: type I and type II. While insulin replacement is often used to treat type I diabetes, oral hypoglycemic medications are used to treat type II diabetes [10].  
Furthermore, many conventional diabetes treatments do not include a single dose, because most drugs involve recurrent injections, frequently throughout the life of patients with diabetes. Many standard treatments are ineffective and have adverse side effects [10].  
Because of these constraints, management strategies for integrating medicinal plants have been researched [11]. These plants have been claimed to be less expensive antidiabetic drugs with fewer adverse effects. However, the ability of most conventional plants to cure diabetes has not yet been clinically verified.  
Several studies have reported that phytochemicals, such as phenols, flavonoids, and terpenoids, may possess curative benefits in the treatment of diabetes and obesity complications, as well as inhibitory effects on \(\alpha\)-amylase, \(\alpha\)-glucosidase, lipase, and dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) [12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18]. Medicinal plants help maintain low blood glucose levels, prevent high blood pressure, boost the body's antioxidant system and insulin regulation, and are a safer option for managing obesity and diabetes [19].  
_Calamintha incana_ is an indigenous herb that has long been used in Jordan and other countries [20]. No scientific studies have been conducted to establish the effectiveness of this plant in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM). Thus, verifying its efficacy is critical, as this plant has the potential to significantly improve diabetes management. _Calamintha incana_ (Sm.) Helder (family Lamiaceae) is known as 'Zataeman' in Jordan. The plant is distributed in Eastern Mediterranean, Central Asia, Europe, North Africa, and North America [21]. It is an aromatic plant used as a spice and herbal tea in Jordan and Levant [22]. In traditional medicine, the plant is used as an expectorant, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, and for the treatment of general weakness [23]. Furthermore, antibacterial [24], antioxidant [20; 25], cytotoxic [20], and enzyme (tyrosine, \(\alpha\)-glucosidase, and \(\alpha\)-amylase) inhibitory activity has been reported for _Calamintha incana_ essential oil [25]. This study aimed to determine the chemical profile of _C. incana_ leaves and examine their antioxidant and antidiabetic activities.