The juice of M. charantia fruit, administered orally in different doses produced hypoglycaemia in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. When the glucose tolerance test was carried out,blood sugar level declined during the initial 1 hour and 15 minutes in the rabbits which were given M. charantia fruit juice. A hypoglycaemic response of M. charantia fruits has been reported in normal and alloxan diabetic dogs. The ether extract residue of the alcoholic concentrate from the leaves of M.charantia was reported to reveal hypoglycaemic activity comparable to that of tolbutamide. Charantin, isolated from M. charantia fruits led to prolonged hypoglycaemia in varying doses in normal fasting rabbits, the fall being gradual and steady for 4 hrs.
Fruit is useful in gout, rheumatism and sub-acute cases of the spleen and liver.
Dhalla, N.S. Gupta, K.C. Sastry, M.S. and Malhotra, C.L. 1961. Chemical composition of the fruit of Momordica charantia Linn. Indian J Pharm 23, 128. 2. Lotlikar, M.M. and Rajarama Rao, M.R. 1966. Pharmacology of a hypoglycaemic principle isolated from the fruits of Momordica charantia Linn.