Abstract

ENHANCED ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIC ACTIVITY WITH A COMBINATION OF GLIBENCLAMIDE AND FRUITS OF MOMORDICA CHARANTIA L.

Khosnur Jannat, M. Nurullah and Mohammed Rahmatullah*

ABSTRACT

Background. Momordica charantia L. is a Cucurbitaceae family plant whose fruits are both consumed as vegetable and to lower elevated blood glucose levels in diabetic patients in Bangladesh. As such, it was of interest to examine whether an extract of the fruit can be of value in enhanced lowering of elevated blood glucose levels when administered with a standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide. Methods. Antihyperglycemic activity was determined through oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in mice. Results. Administration of methanol extract of Momordica charantia fruits (MEMC) at doses of 200 and 400 mg per kg to glucose-loaded mice reduced blood glucose levels by 35.6 and 38.8%, respectively. By comparison, a standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide, when administered at a dose of 10 mg per kg body weight, reduced blood glucose level by 46.1%. MEMC, when administered at doses of 200 and 400 mg per kg along with glibenclamide at 10 mg per kg, respectively reduced blood glucose levels by 49.2 and 53.0%. Conclusion. Methanolic extract of fruits of Momordica charantia (MEMC) can be antihyperglycemic alone, as well as enhance the effect of antihyperglycemic drugs like glibenclamide, and so can reduce glibenclamide dependence.

Keywords: Antihyperglycemic, Momordica charantia, glibenclamide, OGTT, mice.