Anti-Hyperglycemic Effects of Bitter Gourd (momordica Charantia) on Streptozotozin-Induced Wistar Rats

Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is a tropical plant known for its distinctive bitter taste and numerous health benefits, making it a popular ingredient in traditional medicine and cuisine (Yadav et al., 2018). Recent research has validated its antidiabetic properties, making it a promising natural remedy for diabetes management. This study was with the aim of exploring the anti-diabetic potential of Bitter Gourd (Momorddica Charantia) in curing streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Sixteen rats were divided into four groups (n = 4), with group 1 as the positive control group, Groups 2-4 were induced with streptozotocin at a dose of 60 mg/kg bodyweight through intraperitioneal injection. Groups 1 received water and standard feed only, Group 2 were not given treatment, group 3 received a standard drug of metformin while group 4 received a methanol extract of Bitter gourd leaf at a dosage of 0.5ml. After the experimental period of 10 days, animals were anesthetized with chloroform and dissected; Pancreas, liver, Brain and kidney were collected for histopathological analysis. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) was used to analyse the extracts for its bioactive compounds. Results reveals that bitter gourd has a moderate effect in lowering blood glucose levels. Diabetic induced rats had significantly higher blood glucose concentrations compared to the normal controls, while bitter gourd treatment resulted in a moderate reduction (Fig 4.5). The blood glucose-lowering effect of bitter gourd is consistent which showed that bitter gourd extract can improve insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake in diabetic induced rats. The moderate reduction in blood glucose observed here supports the idea that bitter gourd could be an adjunctive therapy to conventional treatments.