Unripe Coccinia grandis Fruit have Anti-diabetes Properties

Coccinia grandis (L.) fruit (commonly known as ivy gourd) is a compo- nent of Bengali cuisine and is also prized for its medicinal properties. The gourd is reputed to maintain a healthy digestive tract by maintain- ing the microbiome balance, improving metabolism and preventing re- nal disease.1 A recent study has confirmed that the gourd also has anti- diabetic properties.2 The authors reported that the gourd extracts had a significant impact on several markers of diabetes. The extract slowed the rise in blood glucose following an meal and decreased protein glycation thereby decreasing the level of blood advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Furthermore, the same study also reported high antioxidant capacities for the gourd extracts and correlated the antidiabetic properties to these antioxidant levels. Whilst much of the photochemistry of the gourd is yet to be determined, saponins were detected and the authors of the study linked these with the hypoglycaemic and antioxidant properties of the gourd.