title: Lower hypoglycemic but higher antiatherogenic effects of bitter melon than glibenclamide in type 2 diabetic patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Since antiquity bitter melon has been in use for treating diabetes but clinical trials show conflicting results about its usefulness. The present study aims to asses and compare the hypoglycemic and antiatherogenic effects as well as the safety of two different doses of bitter melon with glibenclamide.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 95 participants were randomized into 3 groups; group I and group II received bitter melon (2 g/day and 4 g/day respectively) and group III received glibenclamide (5 mg/day) for 10 weeks. Glycemic control and antiatherogenic effects were determined by assessing glycohemoglobin (HbA1-c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2 hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), plasma sialic acid (PSA), systolic blood pressure (SBP), blood lipids and atherogenic index at different time periods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to baseline, mean reduction in HbA1-c at the endpoint was significant among patients of group I, group II and group III (p ≤ 0.05, p ≤ 0.02 and p < 0.005 respectively) and same was the case for FPG (p ≤ 0.05, p < 0.04, p < 0.003 respectively), but the improvement in 2 hour OGTT was significant only in group III (p < 0.03). The decrease in PSA was observed only among group I and group II with the later showing significant reduction from baseline (p < 0.01). In group III, the level slightly increased. Parameters including blood lipids, atherogenic index, body weight and SBP improved among patients of group I and group II but deteriorated among group III patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study concludes that bitter melon has a weaker hypoglycemic effect but ameliorates the diabetes associated cardiovascular (CV) risk factors more effectively than glibenclamide.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The trial was registered with Naseer Teaching Hospital Clinical Trials Registry number GU2014492233.
authors.affiliation: Gandhara College of Pharmacy, Gandhara University, Peshawar, 25000, KPK, Pakistan. marwax07@yahoo.com.
authors.lastname: Inayat U Rahman
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Bannu Medical College, Bannu, KP, Pakistan. ruhidoc@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Rooh Ullah
authors.initials: RU
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Bannu Medical College, Bannu, KP, Pakistan. krahman@hotmail.com.
authors.lastname: Khalil Ur Rahman
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, KIMS, Kohat, KP, Pakistan. dr_mbashir@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bashir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D005905:Glyburide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029777:Momordica charantia / Q000737:chemistry*; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008517:Phytotherapy
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005905:Glyburide; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid