DCI found in bitter melon

Leah* · 06-28-2009, 11:17 PM

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/j...97735/abstract

Quote:

D-CHIRO-INOSITOL FOUND IN MOMORDICA CHARANTIA FRUIT EXTRACT PLAYS A ROLE IN REDUCING BLOOD GLUCOSE IN STREPTOZOTOCIN-DIABETIC RATS

TAO XIA ^1,3 and QIN WANG ² ¹ College of Life Science
East China Normal University
Shanghai 200062, China
² College of Life Science and Biotechnology
Shanghai Jiaotong University
Shanghai, China
Correspondence to ³ TEL/FAX: +86-21-62235711; EMAIL: txia@bio.ecnu.edu.cn

Copyright © 2007, The Author(s); Journal compilation © 2007, Blackwell Publishing

ABSTRACT

Momordica charantia, commonly known as bitter gourd, has been shown to possess hypoglycemic activity. However, the mechanism of its action is not known. Chemically synthesized d-chiro-inositol (d-CI), the component of insulin mediators, has been demonstrated to have antihyperglycemic effects in rats. In this study, we found that M. charantia fruit contains relatively high levels of d-CI; thus, it may be a source of d-CI for reducing blood glucose concentrations in diabetics. In fed streptozotocin (STZ) rats, a dose of M. charantia fruit extract containing 20 mg of d-CI/kg of body weight markedly reduced blood glucose and plasma insulin after oral administration. A significant effect on oral glucose tolerance was also noted in fasted STZ rats. Findings from this study demonstrate that M. charantia fruit extract is an effective source of d-CI for lowering blood glucose concentrations in rats, and therefore may be useful in the treatment of diabetes.

(Bitter gourd is the same as bitter melon.)

I'm surprised I never knew about this before. This is exciting for me because DCI works great for me, but I am getting really sick of eating the buckwheat farinetta every day (I've been doing it for over a year now!). I got weird digestive problems when I tried the DCI in pill form.

Unfortunately, they don't say how much DCI is in bitter melon. But people seem to have to good results with lowering blood sugar with the recommended doses on bottles of bitter melon supplements.

It seems like it should be cheaper than the buckwheat farinetta, and waaay cheaper than the DCI pills from chiralbalance.com.

Pearl1981 · 07-01-2009, 08:00 AM

Yes also Hyponidd contains bitter melon and some other ingredients (plant matter ingredients - so not a table food source as such) that contain high levels of DCI, and it is cheaper than DCI from chiral balance.

I had very good results on DCI so wanted something that contained it at a low cost.

Pearl1981 · 07-01-2009, 08:00 AM

Oh yes and my MIL makes bitter melon curry it is delicious

I feel particularly energetic and lively after eating it. Not sluggish as can sometimes happen after meals

Reags · 07-04-2009, 03:55 AM

thanks for the info - i Love DCI!!!!! and the Cb place came down on the price for the pill

Pearl1981 · 07-05-2009, 02:03 PM

Yes DCI is fantastic, it helped all my symptoms greatly, but I still found it to be way too expensive, and even though they have bought their prices down I still wouldnt be able to afford it, not for life anyway. Cinnamon 3000mg did exactly the same for me with the added benefit of ovulating, which I did not do on DCI, I gave DCI 3 months or so but no AF, when I switched to cinnamon I ovulated 2 weeks later and I got pregnant hence my daughter

So cinnamon did the same job (more energy, weight loss, reduced cravings) for a fraction of the price.

Just some info for the poorer Cysters out there hehe

herbsgirl · 07-05-2009, 07:40 PM

Hi Pearl

,

I have tried the cinnamon with Sucess before, I am doing DCI now, what about DCI and Cinnamon. Too much cinnamon and I had side effects, like heart flutters and VERY heavy periods. Like if I just took 1200 Cinnamon and 1200 DCI?

joobilee · 07-05-2009, 07:55 PM

I'm doing cinnamon (about 1500 mg) and DCI (1200 mg) together. It hasn't caused any problems and I have been doing both for a few weeks. The DCI dropped my insulin down to 10.5 from 43.7 (in 5 weeks) but since I've started taking cinnamon (want to get insulin below 10) I haven't had it checked but I'm planning on getting that done at the 4 week mark.

herbsgirl · 07-05-2009, 08:29 PM

Joobilee- Thanks for responding! I was also thinking about adding vinegar to the mix, and doing DCI, cinnamon, and vinegar at the same time. I seen you have Vinegar on your list too. HOw much do you take per day? Does it help, in what ways?

KatCarney · 07-05-2009, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herbsgirl

Joobilee- I seen you have Vinegar on your list too. HOw much do you take per day? Does it help, in what ways?

Of interest:

Vinegar for IR , Weight Loss, and Hunger (Highlights, FAQ's, & Popular Threads)

herbsgirl · 07-05-2009, 09:28 PM

Thanks, Kat!

The vinegar does amazing things. I used it just a bit when I had Gestational diabetes for the 3rd time, back in September/October 2008, it did lower my blood sugars when I ate carbs. I just havent done it for weeks and weeks consistently as a long term "natural med" for PCOS. I know it helped kill my appetite and cravings when I did try it.

Pearl1981 · 07-06-2009, 10:15 AM

Hello ladies!!

Herbs nice to see you there! I am impressed you have got on top of your depression with herbal medication! I also saw a fantastic decrease in depression with inositol but more so with DCI!!

my depression is a lot better with peony root tincture also. I think anything that effects IR and LH helps depression with PCOS

Back on topic, yes I think you can do cinnamon with DCI for maximum effect. I remember getting a bit hypo glycemic when combining both - because I was doing low carb as well - but as long as you monitor your symptoms you should be fine!

Vinegar is great I just cant stand the taste of it

chaucerg · 07-06-2009, 11:57 AM

I have a question for you girls. My fasting insulin level was recorded as less than 2 with the normal range being 6-27. My period started the very next day, though, and I'm wondering if that would have made my level so low. My total testosterone was 53, free testosterone was 0.9, but 6 weeks before the total testosterone was 77. I didn't make any changes in those six weeks. My question is could the fact that I started my period the next day have made all those values lower?

herbsgirl · 07-06-2009, 01:23 PM

Pearl- thanks for answering about my cinnamon question. Yeah, I am glad to be off the depression meds, I had moderate-severe postpartum depression last fall. I did consider going to a mental institution, it was so bad. The meds got me out of the woods, and now I am off of them, and onto natural stuff. The Country Life Omega 3 Mood I am taking, really helps to stabalize my mood, as does the 600-800 mg Magnesium Citrate helps me to sleep. The Vitamin D does help too, I think.

Chaucerg- Im not sure about that, I suppose it could be??

Pearl1981 · 07-07-2009, 10:13 PM

Chaucer unfortunately I do not understand any of the measurements you have given as I live in the UK and they go by other numbers. Can you somehow give the UK numbers so I can understand...I know that is long lol

Herbs I wondered why you disapeared. I thought the baby was very demanding and you had no time. Im so sorry you went through that! Did you take iron in pregnancy. I heard lack of iron and omega 3 may contribute. I took some extra during my pregnancy as I am prone to depression. surprisingly my depression got better after giving birth but it is comingback now on and off now that I am weaning my daughter. Breast feeding really helped my IR, and also the PCOS hormones in general, and now that I am breast feeding less it is coming back again, so is the depression. Inositol and DCI helped my depression lots and lots, may go back to inositol.. and now Peony for androgens is helping my depression lots. PCOS sucks!

herbsgirl · 07-07-2009, 10:38 PM

Pearl- No, I didnt take extra Iron, only what was in my prenatal- 18 mg. The funny thing was, I did lots of extra precautions for Postpartum depression this time, like taking lots of fish oil during the pregnancy, lots of vitamins and minerals, ect, but I had PPD worse than I evere have. I did hemmorhage, and the baby could have lost her life, had a very scary experience, glad to be done with it. My 4th babe was the hardest, but she is my happiest baby too!! I guess I am getting off subject of DCI!!

Yep, PCOS is not fun, but I am hoping to squash it down, I am trying to exercise ALOT, and hopefully I can lose wieght. I just went on Cinnamon with the DCI, maybe that will help.