title: Hypoglycemic activity of the fruit of the Momordica charantia in type 2 diabetic mice.
abstract: The antidiabetic activity of Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae) was investigated in KK-Ay mice, an animal model with type 2 diabetes with hyperinsulinemia. The water extract of the fruit of Momordica charantia L. (MC) reduced the blood glucose of KK-Ay mice 3 weeks after oral administration (p<0.01) and also significantly lowered the serum insulin of KK-Ay mice under similar conditions (p<0.01). However, MC did not affect the blood glucose in normal mice. MC-treated KK-Ay mice blood glucose significantly decreased in an insulin tolerance test. Moreover, the muscle content of facilitative glucose transporter isoform 4 (GLUT4) protein content in the plasma membrane fraction from muscle significantly increased in the orally MC-treated mice when compared with that of the controls (p<0.01). These results suggest that the antidiabetic effect of MC is derived, at least in part, from a decrease in insulin resistance because of the increase of GLUT4 protein content in the plasma membrane of the muscle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Nutrition, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Mie, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000188:drug therapy; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D029777:Momordica charantia / Q000737:chemistry; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; C495693:Slc2a4 protein, mouse