China and Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia

"We can now understand at a molecular level why bitter melon works as a treatment for diabetes," said David James, Director of the Diabetes and Obesity Program at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia. "By isolating the compounds we believe to be therapeutic, we can investigate how they work together in our cells."

"Chinese medicine is a very rich source for finding new therapies for diseases, including diabetes," said researcher Jiming Ye, also of Garvan. He noted that bitter melon has a long history as a natural diabetes remedy in China, and its use is described in texts nearly 500 years old.