Antidiabetic activity of Momordica charantia seeds on streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.

The present study was aimed to evaluate the hypoglycemic efficacy in an aqueous extract of seeds of two varieties, namely a country and a hybrid variety of Momordica charantia (MCSEt1 and MCSEt2) respectively in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. STZ-induced diabetic rats were treated with aqueous extracts of MCSEt1 and t2 for a period of 30 days. MCSEt1 and t2 extract treatment to diabetic rats resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and glycogen phosphorylase, and a concomitant increase in the levels of hemoglobin, glycogen and activities of hexokinase and glycogen synthase. These results clearly show the antidiabetic properties of Momordica charantia. Both the varieties showed safe and significant hypoglycemic effects which were more pronounced in MCSEt1 compared to MCSEt2 and glibenclamide.