Bitter melon has diabetes role to play

A fresh and pioneering partnership between eastern and western scientists will see a therapeutic Chinese vegetable analysed in detail to assess its therapeutic affects in relation to diabetes . Bitter melon has long been regarded as a powerful healing substance, and using novel technology research teams may be able to utilise it as the basis for a new type 2 diabetes drug.
For hundreds of years, bitter melon has been used in traditional Chinese recipes to combat ailments. Dr. Jiming Te, researching the vegetable at a medical research institute in Sydney, reportedly said: “Chinese medicine is a very rich source for finding new therapies for diseases, including diabetes.”
In China, diabetes is no less of a problem than it is in other areas of the world. The IDF and WHO estimate that by 2025, China will be facing one of the largest diabetic problems in the whole world.
Using modern tools, the research team are breaking down bitter melon into its constituent parts. So far, in mice studies, the compounds isolated are proving effective in triggering muscles to absorb glucose without side effects.