title: In vivo hypoglycemic effect of methanolic fruit extract of Momordica charantia L.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Momordica charantia L. is a medicinal plant commonly used in the management of diabetes mellitus.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the blood glucose lowering effect of the methanolic fruit extract of the Ugandan variety of M. charantia L. in alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  500g of M. charantia powder were macerated in methanol and the extract administered to two groups of alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The first group received 125mg/kg, the second 375mg/kg and a third group 7mg/kg of metformin. A fourth group received 1ml normal saline. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels were measured at 0.5,1,2,3,5,8 and 12 hours and compared using one-way ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was an initial rise in FBG for 1 hour after administration of extracts followed by steep reductions. Significant reduction in FBG occurred at 2 hours for 125mg/kg of extract (-3.2%, 313±25.9 to 303±25.0mg/dL, p = 0.049), 375mg/kg of extract (-3.9%, 356±19.7 to 342±20.3mg/dL, p = 0.001), and metformin (-2.6%, 344±21.7 to 335±21.1mg/dL, p = 0.003) when compared to normal saline. The maximum percentage reduction in FBG by both extracts occurred between 3 and 12 hours post dose.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The methanolic fruit extract of M. charantia exhibits dose dependent hypoglycaemic activity in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nkambo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Anyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Onegi
mesh_terms: D000496:Alloxan / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol; D029777:Momordica charantia / Q000737:chemistry*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000496:Alloxan; D000432:Methanol
keywords: Diabetes Mellitus; Momordica charantia; hypoglycaemic effect; in vivo; methanolic extract