Abstract
Previous studies have suggested that crude plant extracts of the anti-diabetic medicinal plant, Momordica balsamina (MB) may exert their anti-diabetic effect through either enhancement of insulin sensitivity or inhibition of intestinal glucose absorption. However, the effects of these MB extracts on insulin synthesis and secretion are not well documented in the literature. Therefore, a main purpose of the current research was to examine in vitro effects of MB crude fruit extracts on selected aspects of the insulin synthesis and secretion pathway. The study results indicated that ethanol, ethyl acetate and hexane MB crude extracts had the significantly enhanced the uptake of glucose by RIN-m5F β-cells in a manner depending on concentration. Furthermore, these same MB fruit extracts significantly increased the quantities of synthesized and secreted insulin by RIN-m5F β-cells. In addition, significant upregulation of the pre-proinsulin gene levels by the same MB fruit extracts was detected by the conventional end-point Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), whereas a significant upregulation of gene expression levels of the two pancreatic glucose sensors (glucokinase enzyme and Glucose Transporter 2 (GLUT2)) as well as the two insulin gene transcription factors Musculoaponeurotic Fibrosarcoma homolog A (MafA) and Pancreatic Duodenal Homeobox-1 (PDX-1) were detected by means of quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR. In conclusion, the outcomes of this research propose that MB fruit extracts may, in addition to their effects on sensitivity of insulin and inhibition of intestinal glucose absorption, exert their anti-diabetic effects through stimulation of both the insulin synthesis and secretion.
Highlights
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by sustained hyperglycaemia owing to the incapability of the pancreatic β-cells to complement for peripheral insulin resistance (Prentki and Nolan, 2006; Cerf, 2013)
The study results indicated that ethanol, ethyl acetate and hexane Momordica balsamina (MB) crude extracts had the significantly enhanced the uptake of glucose by RIN-m5F β-cells in a manner depending on concentration
MB fruit water extract at 1.6, 3.1 and 50 μg/mL demonstrated a significant enhancement of consumption of glucose by RIN-m5F cells when evaluated against RIN-m5F cells that were not treated (p
Summary
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by sustained hyperglycaemia owing to the incapability of the pancreatic β-cells to complement for peripheral insulin resistance (Prentki and Nolan, 2006; Cerf, 2013). For T2DM include lifestyle intervention strategies and pharmacological management with oral hypoglycaemic agents like sulphonylureas, biguanides, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and sometimes injections with different insulin analogues either as monotherapy or in combination therapy (Chaudhury et al, 2017). These conventional anti-diabetic agents are often associated with undesirable side effects, are expensive and often, do not meet their therapeutic targets (Chaudhury et al, 2017; Davies et al, 2018). For the effective use of these alternative antidiabetic agents, especially in combination therapy, it is imperative that their discovery and development be accompanied by knowledge and understanding of their hypoglycaemic mechanisms of action
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