A water-soluble polysaccharide (MCP) was isolated from the fruits of Momordica charantia L., and the
hypoglycemic effects of MCP were investigated in both normal healthy and alloxan-induced diabetic
mice. MCP was orally administered once a day after 3 days of alloxan-induction at 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg
body weightfor 28 day. Results showed thatfasting blood glucose level(BGL) was significantly decreased,
whereas the glucose tolerance was marked improvement in alloxan-induced diabetic mice, and loss in
body weight was also prevented in diabetic mice compared to the diabetic control group. The dosage of
300 mg/kg body weight exhibited the best effects. In addition, MCP did not exhibit any toxic symptoms in
the limited toxicity evaluation in mice. The results suggestthat MCP possess significantly dose-dependent
anti-diabetic activity on alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Hence, MCP can be incorporated as a supplement
in health-care food, drugs and/or combined with other hypoglycemic drugs.