Abstract
The hypoglycaemic effect of orally administered extracts of fruits of cultivated Momordica charantia (karela) was examined in normal and strep-tozotocin diabetic mice. In normal mice,
an aqueous extract (A) lowered the glycaemic response to both oral and intraperitoneal glucose, without
altering the insulin response. This aqueous extract (A) and the residue after alkaline chloroform extraction (B) reduced the hyper-glycaemia in diabetic mice at 1 hour. Material recovered by acid
water wash of the chloroform extract remaining after an alkaline water wash (D) produced a more slowly generated hypoglycaemic effect. The results suggest that orally
administered karela extracts lower glucose concentrations independently of intestinal
glucose absorption and involve an extrapancreatic effect. Two types of hypoglycaemic
substances with different time dependent effects are indicated.
Key words
Momordica charantia
- hypoglycaemic effects
