Diabetes - Momordica Charantia (Bitter Melon) Research

Controlling Diabetes with Nutrition

Cinnamon/Insulin Research

Splenda Side Effects?

Medical Review of Herbal Remedies ADHD - ADD Acid Reflux Symptoms Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety Attack Symptoms Breast Cancer Symptoms Cancer Defense Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Cold, Flu - Sinus Infections Congestive Heart Failure Colon Cancer Symptoms Crohn's Disease Depression Symptoms Detoxification Diabetes Symptoms Fibromyalgia Heart Disease Prevention Heart Attack Symptoms Immune System Defense Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lung Cancer Osteoarthritis Symptoms Ovarian Cancer Pregnancy Signs Stomach Ulcer Symptoms Thyroid Cancer Pictures of Skin Cancer Perimenopause Symptoms Prostate Cancer

Drug Interactions with Herbs and Vitamins?

Health Notes is the leading provider of science-based information on healthy living. Gathered from scientific studies published in over 550 peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals. Visit Health Notes for drug interactions

Health Care Directory
Our Approach
Contact Us

Bitter Gourd - Ampalaya treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus

"We compared ampalaya leaves with an anti-diabetes drug, and we found out that ampalaya has the same effect on the patient. It means the action of ampalaya on blood sugar is equivalent to the action of the medicine," Dr. Cirilo Galindez, PITAHC director general, said.

The study revealed that a 100 milligram per kilo dose per day is comparable to 2.5 milligrams of the anti-diabetes drug Glibenclamide taken twice per day. Continue

Bitter Melon Gourd (Momordica Charantia): A dietary approach to hyperglycemia

By Krawinkel MB, Keding GB. - Department of International Nutrition, Institute of Nutritional Science, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany. michael.krawinkel@uni-giessen.de

Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is a vegetable with distribution on all three major continents, Africa, Asia and the Amercias. It contains substances with antidiabetic properties such as charantin, vicine, and polypeptide-p, as well as other unspecific bioactive components such as antioxidants. Metabolic and hypoglycemic effects of bitter gourd extracts have been demonstrated in cell culture, animal, and human studies. The mechanism of action, whether it is via regulation of insulin release or altered glucose metabolism and its insulin-like effect, is still under debate. Adverse effects are also known. Nevertheless, bitter gourd has the potential to become a component of the diet or a dietary supplement for diabetic and pre-diabetic patients. Well-designed interdisciplinary research by nutritionists, medical doctors, and agronomists is needed before a dietary recommendation can be given and a product brought to the market.

Hypoglycemic (noun) - producing a decrease in the level of sugar in the blood
Hypoglycemic (adjective) - relating to, or caused by hypoglycemia

Role of selected Indian plants in management of type 2 diabetes: a review.

By Saxena A, Vikram NK. - Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Type 2 diabetes has become a global epidemic. Modern medicines, despite offering a variety of effective treatment options, can have several adverse effects. Ayurveda, a science that uses herbal medicines extensively, originated in India. Of considerable interest is the adoption of Ayurveda by the mainstream medical system in some European countries (e.g., Hungary), emphasizing this modality is increasing worldwide recognition. From ancient times, some of these herbal preparations have been used in the treatment of diabetes. This paper reviews the accumulated literature for 10 Indian herbs that have antidiabetic activity and that have been scientifically tested. Few of these herbs, such as Momordica charantia, Pterocarpus marsupium, and Trigonella foenum greacum, have been reported to be beneficial for treating type 2 diabetes. Mechanisms such as the stimulating or regenerating effect on beta cells or extrapancreatic effects are proposed for the hypoglycemic action of these herbs.

Antihyperglycemic effects of three extracts from Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia)

Virdi J, Sivakami S, Shahani S, Suthar AC, Banavalikar MM, Biyani MK. - Department of Life Science, University of Mumbai

Momordica charantia (L.) (Cucurbitaceae) commonly known as bitter gourd or karela is a medicinal plant, used in Ayurveda for treating various diseases, one of which is diabetes mellitus. In this study, various extract powders of the fresh and dried whole fruits were prepared and their blood glucose lowering effect compared by administrating them orally to diabetic rats. The aqueous extract powder of fresh unripe whole fruits at a dose of 20mg/kg body weight was found to reduce fasting blood glucose by 48%, an effect comparable to that of glibenclamide, a known synthetic drug. This extract was tested for nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and biochemical parameters such as SGOT, SGPT and lipid profile. The extract did not show any signs of nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity as judged by histological and biochemical parameters. Thus the aqueous extract powder of Momordica charantia, an edible vegetable, appears to be a safe alternative to reducing blood glucose.

Diabetic agents from medicinal plants

Jung M, Park M, Lee HC, Kang YH, Kang ES, Kim SK. - Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea.

Currently available therapeutic options for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, such as dietary modification, oral hypoglycemics, and insulin, have limitations of their own. Many natural products and herbal medicines have been recommended for the treatment of diabetes. The present paper reviews medicinal plants that have shown experimental or clinical antidiabetic activity and that have been used in traditional systems of medicine; the review also covers natural products (active natural components and crude extracts) isolated from the medicinal plants and reported during 2001 to 2005. Many kinds of natural products, such as terpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, and some others, have shown antidiabetic potential. Particularly, schulzeines A, B, and C, radicamines A and B, 2,5-imino-1,2,5-trideoxy-L-glucitol, beta-homofuconojirimycin, myrciacitrin IV, dehydrotrametenolic acid, corosolic acid (Glucosol), 4-(alpha-rhamnopyranosyl)ellagic acid, and 1,2,3,4,6-pentagalloylglucose have shown significant anti-diabetic activities. Among active medicinal herbs, Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae), Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. (Leguminoceae), and Trigonella foenum graecum L. (Leguminosae) have been reported as beneficial for treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Curcumin can significantly reduce insulin resistance and prevent Type 2 diabetes

Columbia University Medical Centre found that curcumin, the anti-nflammatory, anti-oxidant ingredient in turmeric can significantly reduce insulin resistance and prevent Type 2 diabetes.