摘要：Control of diabetes by diet and natural products is more appropriate and economical in developing countries , hence fruits, vegetables, tea, spices and homeopathic drugs were investigated for their insulin potentiating function in glucose metabolism in rat epididymal fat cells assay. Dried flesh and seed of jamon fruit (Eugenia jambulina), fresh and dried flesh and seed of bitter gourd ( Momordica charantia ), fresh and dried chaunga (Carulina tuberculate) and powdered fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) were extracted with 0.1 N NH4OH or boiling water (1:20 w/v). Black, decaffeinated and green tea ( Thea sp .) were prepared without milk and with milk. Sugar was not added to the tea. The supernatants of the extracts and the different prepared tea samples were used for insulin potentiation in the rat epididymal fat cells assay. Homeopathic drugs, diabene and diacure were tested for insulin potentiating activity in the above assay. Dried flesh of jamon fruit potentiated insulin 6.7 fold when boiled with water and 6.1 fold when extracted with 0.1N NH4OH. Dried jamon seed potentiated insulin 2 and 5 fold when extracted with water and 0.1N NH4OH respectively. Insulin potentiating activity was found in the dried seed of bitter ground but not in the fresh and dried flesh portion. Chaunga did not show any insulin potentiating activity. The water extract of fenugreek showed some activity. Black tea potentiated 5.2 fold insulin function in glucose metabolism and this activity was reduced to 3.7 fold with decaffeinating of tea. Green tea potentiated insulin 2 fold in glucose metabolism. Addition of milk to tea inhibited the insulin potentiating function of tea. Both the homeopathic drugs did not show any insulin potentiating activity. The result indicated that both flesh and seed of dried jamon fruit and tea had very good insulin potentiating function. In the light of these data, based on the vitro model of insulin function, the diabetic patients are advised to use both the flesh and seed of jamon fruit and tea without milk and sugar for their diabetic control.
