Abstract
More than 1000 herbal products have been used by diverse cultures of the world to treat hyperglycemia and among them bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is one of the most popular herbal resource. The beneficial effects of bitter melon is not limited to hypoglycaemia only, but it also ameliorates diet induced obesity, insulin resistance and exhibit cardioprotective effects. The present study attempts to investigate the effect of bitter melon fruit juice on a newly investigated risk factor, sialic acid in type2 diabetics. A total of 40 type2 diabetic patients, divided into group A (n = 20) and group B (n = 20) were investigated during the present study. The patients of group A were following bitter melon fruit juice treatment along with diet control, whereas the patients of group B were on diet control only. Serum sialic acid (SSA) decreased in group A from 66.20 ± 2.30 mg/dl to 63.50 ± 2.10 mg/dl (<0.11) but, increased in group B from 66.50 ± 1.70 mg/dl to 68.20 ± 2.50 mg/dl (<0.12), compared to baseline. Post-treatment between group comparison revealed a significant difference (<0.05). The beneficial effects on fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and glycohemoglobin (HbA1-c) were also greater in group A compared to group B as was the case with blood lipids, weight and blood pressure. The study provides another mechanism for the cardioprotective effect of bitter melon and further strengthens its value in the management of type2 diabetes.
Highlights
Plant medicines have a long history of use in various pathological conditions
Sialic acid is used to be a group name for acetylated derivatives of neuraminic acid and the serum level of it is increased in type2 diabetes mellitus [5,6,7,8]
Diabetes is the metabolic syndrome associated with both microvascular and macrovascular complications and among these cardiovascular complications is the main cause of death in such patients [22]
Summary
Plant medicines have a long history of use in various pathological conditions. Bitter melon is a traditional plant used by ayurvedic doctors of medicines to benefit various conditions including diabetes [2]. Sialic acid is used to be a group name for acetylated derivatives of neuraminic acid and the serum level of it is increased in type diabetes mellitus [5,6,7,8]. There may be generalized endothelial cell dysfunction or macrovascular disease, either through loss of sialic acid containing glycoproteins from vascular cells into blood stream or through an acute phase response. Circulating sialic acid is mostly covalently attached to glycoproteins, the acute phase group. Type diabetes mellitus may be considered an acute phase disease, since in type diabetes (not type diabetes), even without tissue complications, the serum levels of acute phase proteins, C-reactive protein and ha-
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