Momordica charantia or
Bitter Melon, a tropical
vegetable, is a common
food in Indian cuisine and has been used extensively in
folk medicine as a remedy for diabetes. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the
hypoglycemic effect of
Momordica charantia extract in
streptozotocin-induced diabetic
rat model for a period of 45 days. The
alcoholic extract of
Momordica charantia was administered orally at the
dose rate of 100 and 200 mg/kg
body weight in distilled
water and compared with standard oral
hypoglycemic drug,
glibenclamide. In the study a significant (P 0.001) improvement in the physiological and biochemical
parameters such as
body weight,
hemoglobin concentration,
serum glucose,
cholesterol and
triglyceride levels was observed in
Momordica charantia treated
rats as compared to diabetic control
rats. In
Momordica charantia treated
rats there was gradual and progressive alleviation of
streptozotocin effects with M. charantia at higher
dose rate (200 mg per kg
body weight), more effective in normalizing the pancreatic endocrinal
architecture, improving the number of b-
cells and in enhancing the
insulin secretion.
Immunohistochemistry and special
staining revealed improvement in the
insulin secretion in
Momordica charantia and
glibenclamide treated groups.