Evaluation of the efficacy of bitter gourd (momordica charantia) as an oral hypoglycemic agent--a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Patients were randomized to receive either bitter gourd tablets (26 subjects) or placebo (24 subjects). The bitter gourd tablets were made from shade dr ied powdered fresh whole fruit. The average sized fruit weights around 5 gm when dried. Each tablet contained 1 gm of dried fruit and each patient received 2 tablets thrice daily, after meals. Riboflavin was given as placebo, as placebo identical to BG could not be made and riboflavin is not known to have any hypoglycemic effect and it is freely avai lable . Al l pat ients were asked to cont inue their rout ine ant i d iabet ic treatment , which inc luded dietary modification and oral hypoglycemic agents such as sulfonylureas and biguanides.