Method for establishing the anti-diabetic potential of bitter melon

Abstract

A method is disclosed for determining the hypoglycemic potential of Momordica charantia (bitter melon) extracts through an in vitro test representative of the range of serum blood sugar typical of normal and diabetic subjects. The in vitro assay provides information on the functional activity of bitter melon extracts for regulating blood glucose uptake in an animal or human

1 . A method for determining in vitro the functional in vivo activity of bitter melon extracts for regulating blood glucose uptake in an animal or human. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  in which the blood glucose range is equivalent to approximately 90 to 400 mg/dL −1 . 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  in which the in vitro test is glucose uptake into yeast cells. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  in which the increase in glucose uptake is directly proportional to the bitter melon extract concentration and inversely proportional to the molar concentration of glucose. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  in which dose optimization for an animal or human in need thereof is adjusted according to EC 50  values in which EC 50  may be defined as the molar concentration of an agonist that produces 50 percent of the maximum possible response/effect for that agonist. 
     
     
         6 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 providing a closed environment of yeast cells at a first known concentration of glucose;   adding a known amount of bitter melon extract to the closed environment to obtain a known concentration of the bitter melon extract in the closed environment;   waiting a period of time after adding the bitter melon extract;   determining a second glucose concentration in the environment; and   comparing the first glucose concentration to the second glucose concentration.   
     
     
         13 . The in vitro assay method of  claim 12 , wherein the period of time is in a range of one hour to five hours. 
     
     
         14 . The in vitro assay of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining the differential between the first glucose concentration and the second glucose concentration.   
     
     
         15 . The in vitro assay of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 comparing the differential to a known standard in order to determine the hypoglycemic potential of the bitter melon extract.   
     
     
         16 . The in vitro assay method of  claim 15 , wherein the bitter melon is  momordica charantia.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the results of the comparing are used in dose optimization for an animal or human in need thereof by adjusted according to EC 50  defined as a molar concentration of an agonist that produces 50 percent of a maximum possible response/effect for that agonist.