Abstract

ORAL GLUCOSE TOLERANCE TESTS WITH A COMBINATION OF MOMORDICA CHARANTIA FRUITS AND TRIGONELLA FOENUM-GRAECUM SEEDS

Tridib Kumar Paul, Mahnaz Hossain Fariba, Md. Najmul Hossain, Mohammed Rahmatullah*

ABSTRACT

Background: The fruits of Momordica charantia L. and seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. are considered traditionally in Bangladesh to lower elevated blood glucose levels in glucose-impaired persons. The fruits and seeds are also consumed in the cooked form as a vegetable and spice, respectively. It was of interest to evaluate the antihyperglycemic activity of a combination of methanolic extract of both fruits and seeds. Methods: Antihyperglycemic activity was determined through oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in mice. Results: Administration of methanol extract of Momordica charantia fruits (MEMC) and methanol extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum seeds (METF), separately at a dose of 400 mg per kg body weight each to glucose-loaded mice reduced blood glucose levels by 26.2 and 21.3%, respectively compared to control (untreated) mice. A combination of (MEMC + METF) at doses of 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg each extract reduced blood glucose levels, respectively by 24.9, 30.2, 34.9, and 40.5%. By comparison, a standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide, when administered at a dose of 10 mg per kg body weight, reduced blood glucose level by 41.9%. Conclusion: A combination of MEMC and METF (at 400 mg per kg each) can be effective in reducing blood glucose (that is improve oral glucose tolerance) nearly as efficiently as glibenclamide, and so can reduce dependency on this antidiabetic drug.

Keywords: Antihyperglycemic, Momordica charantia, Trigonella foenum-graecum, glibenclamide, OGTT.