| Summary: | Background: Diabetes is a complex and widespread disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) diagnoses continue to climb throughout the world. Traditional herbal medicine is used for many health conditions, and Momordica charantia is the most commonly used plant around the world in treating diabetes. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that the well-established hypoglycemic activity of M. charantia is due to the saponin-induced stimulation of insulin secretion, resulting in normalization of glucose metabolism. In addition, we investigate whether saponins support the proliferation of pancreatic β-cells.Study Design and Methods: To test this, C57BLK/6 mice were fed a low or high fat diet. Either a crude extract or saponin rich fraction (SRF) of M. charantia or vehicle was orally administered daily for 4 weeks. Results: The SRF lowered fasting glucose concentrations, and both the crude extract and SRF improved glucose tolerance. The SRF did not impact β-cell mass, when compared to other treatment groups. Conclusions: In conclusion, our study suggests that saponins are responsible for all, or part, of the hypoglycemic effect and insulin secretory activity reported in M. charantia fruit.
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