AMPK is a potential target of metabolic diseases including obesity and type 2 diabetes. The activation of AMPK can lead to an increase of glucose uptake into muscle, decreased gluconeogenesis in liver, increased fatty acid oxidation in muscle and liver, decreased fatty acid synthesis in liver and adipose tissue, and increase mitochondrial biogenesis. Until now, many efforts from industrial and academia have been focused on searching novel agents that activate AMPK directly or indirectly. This review will discuss recent advances in the search for novel therapeutic agents that mediate their activity via AMPK activation.