Does bitter melon contain an activator of AMP-activated kinase?

Medical Hypotheses
Mark F McCarty

Abstract

Extracts of the unripe fruit of Momordica charantia--bitter melon, which flourishes throughout the tropics--appear to have utility in the management of type 2 diabetes. Rodent studies suggest that the thus-far-uncharacterized active components of such extracts enhance the efficiency of postprandial glucose storage in muscle and liver, and likely diminish excessive hepatic glucose output, while often down-regulating serum insulin--effects comparable to those reported for metformin. Other parallels between the actions of metformin and bitter melon in rodents appear to include: analogous effects on the hepatic activity of certain enzymes of glucose metabolism; increased expression of GLUT4 in the plasma membrane of skeletal muscle; a tendency to prevent weight gain; favorable effects on serum lipids; and an anti-promotional impact on cancer induction. Inasmuch as the clinical efficacy of metformin has recently been traced to its ability to activate AMP-activated kinase, it would be of interest to determine whether bitter melon extracts contain activators of this enzyme. The fact that bitter melon has the potential to down-regulate insulin suggests that, beyond its likely utility in the management of diabetes, it may have preventiv...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 10, 2011·Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine·Pranav Kumar Prabhakar, Mukesh Doble
Oct 15, 2009·The British Journal of Nutrition·Lawrence LeungSharon Cuthbertson
Jun 16, 2009·Chinese Medicine·Hongxiang HuiVay Liang W Go
Mar 1, 2012·Journal of Pharmacy & Bioallied Sciences·Vasim KhanK K Pillai
Dec 17, 2009·Phytotherapy Research : PTR·Masoud Shabani DomolaMichael B Wheeler
Jan 15, 2016·Acta Biochimica Et Biophysica Sinica·Mingo M H YungDavid W Chan
Nov 10, 2004·Medical Hypotheses·Mark F McCarty
Feb 13, 2018·Journal of Medicinal Food·Marisol Cortez-NavarreteMiriam Méndez-Del Villar
Feb 23, 2019·Journal of Cellular Biochemistry·Naseh PahlavaniHamidreza Rahimi

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