Abstract
BackgroundDiabetes mellitus is one of the major global health disorders increasing at an alarming rate in both developed and developing countries. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of aqueous extract of Momordica charantia (AEMC) on fasting blood glucose (FBG), tissue glycogen, glycosylated haemoglobin, plasma concentrations of insulin and GLP-1 hormone (glucagon-like peptide 1) in healthy and diabetic wistar rats.MethodsMale Wistar rats (both normal and diabetic) were treated with AEMC by gavaging (300 mg/kg body wt/day for 28 days).ResultsAEMC was found to increase tissue glycogen, serum insulin and GLP-1 non-significantly (P > 0.05) in normal, significantly (P < 0.01) in diabetic Wistar rats, whereas decrease in FBG and Glycosylated haemoglobin non-significantly (P > 0.05) in normal, significantly (P < 0.01) in diabetic Wistar rats. The elevation of GLP-1 level in normal and diabetic treated groups may be due to the L-cell regeneration and proliferation by binding with L-cell receptors and makes a conformational change, resulting in the activation of a series of signal transducers. The polar molecules of M. charantia also depolarize the L-cell through elevation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration and which in turn releases GLP-1. GLP-1 in turn elevates beta-cell proliferation and insulin secretion.ConclusionThe findings tend to provide a possible explanation for the hypoglycemic action of M. charantia fruit extracts as alternative nutritional therapy in the management and treatment of diabetes.
Highlights
Diabetes mellitus is one of the major global health disorders increasing at an alarming rate in both developed and developing countries
Effect of M. charantia on fasting blood glucose (FBG) level in normal and diabetic rats Oral administration of aqueous extract of Momordica charantia (AEMC) 300 mg/kg/day b.w. in normal rats showed non-significant (P > 0.05) decrease in FBG on 14 day (5.2%) and 28 day (10.46%) as compared to 0 day in group II, whereas, no change was observed in group I and group III
The long term administration of aqueous extracts AEMC in diabetic rats results a significant decrease in the HbA1c levels in the diabetic rats, but no significant difference in HbA1c percentage found in normal treated groups
Summary
Diabetes mellitus is one of the major global health disorders increasing at an alarming rate in both developed and developing countries. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of aqueous extract of Momordica charantia (AEMC) on fasting blood glucose (FBG), tissue glycogen, glycosylated haemoglobin, plasma concentrations of insulin and GLP-1 hormone (glucagon-like peptide 1) in healthy and diabetic wistar rats. Glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) is physiologically important regulators of metabolic control and is an important hormone that stimulates the secretion of glucosedependent insulin from pancreatic -cells. This endocrine hormone of 30-amino acids is produced in the enteroendocrine L-cells [4]. Is has been reported that the continuous GLP-1 treatment in T2DM improve β-cell function, normalizes blood glucose and restore first-phase insulin secretion and “glucose competence” to β-cells; GLP-1/ GLP-1Rs are therapeutic targets for treating T2DM [5]. There are many side effects of these drugs like fluid retention, weight gain, headache, upper respiratory tract infection and urinary tract infection
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