Antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activity of MCy protein

Previous studies reported the beneficial role of Momordica cymbalaria (MC) for diabetes mellitus (DM). The current study evaluates the efficacy of antihyperglycemic activity of MCy protein (MCP), which we recently reported from the fruits of MC. Here we studied the long‐term (6 weeks) treatment effects of MCP in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats on the levels of glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, insulin, lipids and activities of carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes. MCP reduced the fasting blood glucose levels by increasing the plasma insulin accompanied by an improvement in the glycemic control. The results further showed that the MCP treatment has antihyperlipidemic activity. Administration of MCP to diabetic rats normalized the decreased activities of hepatic hexokinase and glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase. In addition MCP treatment normalized the altered activities of the gluconeogenic enzymes in diabetic treated rats. These findings conclude that MCP is therapeutic in experimental DM. However, further detailed toxicological studies need to be conducted to establish MCP as an alternate treatment for the management of DM.