@2024 Afarand., IRAN

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ISSN: 2252-0805    The Horizon of Medical Sciences 2015;21(2):105-112

Background
… [1-9] Momordica charantia or "bitter melon" is an annual plant and single pier of the Cucurbitaceae family that has long vines crawling. Momordica is a good source of phenolic compounds with antioxidant and anti-mutagenic activity. This plant used in traditional medicine as an anti-diabetic plant [10]. … [11] Momordica contains chemicals including steroidal saponins, insulin-like peptides, and alkaloids that reduce the glucose effects [12]. … [13-15]
Previous Studies
Momordica may act as triggers of insulin secretion [11].
Aim(s)
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of aqueous and methanol extracts of momordica fruit on blood glucose and liver enzymes in the rats.
Research type
This is an experimental study.
Research society, place and time
Adult male Wistar rats (initial weight180-200 gr) purchased from Pasteur Institute of Iran and kept in the animal’s house at Islamic Azad University of Falavarjan, were studied.
Sampling method and number
36 rats were studied.
Used devices&materials
Momordica fresh fruit plant from Kahir rural district farms and the fields of Plan district in Chabahar city (Iran) were collected. Plant extracts were prepared via two aqueous and methanolic methods [16, 17]. To induce diabetes, 55mg/kg of rat-body-weight fresh streptozotocin (STZ) were injected by insulin syringes, one time and through intra-peritoneal injection [16, 18]. After 4 days, the rats with blood glucose levels higher than 1.11mM/l (200mg/dl) were identified as diabetic [17] and were divided randomly into 6 groups each contained 6 rats. These groups were: control group (normal rats), negative control group (diabetic rats) and 4 experimental diabetic rats groups received 50 and 100mg/kg of aqueous extract of the plant and received doses of 50 and 100mg/kg of methanolic extract of the plant on a 40-day daily basis. The doses were administered orally (dissolved in water) as 40-day 50 and 100 mg/ kg of rat weight (effect of one dose of both aqueous and methanol extracts was investigated). During this period, fasting blood glucose levels were determined once a week with consecutive slots at the tip of the tails of the rats using blood glucose monitoring system (Bionime GM 110; Taiwan). After 40 days, blood samples were taken directly from the heart of each rat. After centrifugation, the serum samples were used to measure the serum factors of AST, ALT and ALP using auto-analyzer and biochemical kits (Parsazmoon Co.; Iran). In order to perform statistical analyzes of blood glucose and to perform statistical analyzes of liver enzymes, Analysis of Variance with Repeated Measures and One-way ANOVA were used, respectively. To evaluate significant differences between the mean scores, Bonferroni Post Hoc test was used. The obtained results were analyzed using SPSS 19.
Findings by Text
The effect of different concentrations of aqueous and methanol extracts on blood glucose was significant (Diagram 1). 50 and 100 mg/kg of the rat weight aqueous extracts had the highest reducing effect on blood glucose compared to methanol extract. Significant difference was observed in the activity of AST enzyme in negative control group and the group received 50 mg/kg of rat weight (Diagram 2). There was a significant difference between the activity of ALT in negative control group and the group receiving 50 mg/kg of methanol extract at 50 mg/kg of the rat weight concentration (Diagram 3). Methanol extract, and especially methanol extract at 50 mg/kg of rat body weight concentration, had the highest reducing effect on the activity of AST and ALT enzymes in comparison to the aqueous extract. Aqueous and methanol extracts with 50 and 100 mg/kg of rat body weight concentrations had a significant effect on the reduction of ALP activity (Diagram 4).
Main comparison to the similar studies
Following 40-day administration of the aqueous and methanol extracts of momordica with different doses (50 and 100 mg/kg of rat body weight), blood glucose significantly decreased. Aqueous extracts of 50 and 100 mg/kg of rat body weight had the highest effect on reducing blood sugar, and methanol extract, especially 100 mg/kg of rat body weight methanol extract, had no reducing effect on blood glucose. The effect of 10 ml/kg of body weight juice extract of this plant on the blood glucose during 28 days has been investigated and the fruit extract reducing effect on blood glucose has been proved. [19].The extract of this plant has increased the glucose uptake and storage, and can stimulate the insulin secretion in pancreatic beta cells [20]. This plant corrects the destroyed beta cells and prevents their death [21]. 10% diabetes has been treated by dry momordica [18]. Lowering effects of fresh aqueous extract of this plant on blood glucose concentration during diabetes, compared with dried momordica, has been proved [22, 23]. The aqueous extract had a higher reducing effect on blood glucose than the methanol extract. Aqueous and methanol extract at a lower concentration (50 mg/kg of rat body weight) had a better reducing effect on blood glucose. Methanol extract of this plant, especially 50 mg/kg of rat body weight methanol extract had the highest reducing effect on the activities of liver enzymes of AST and ALT. 50 and 100 m/g kg of rat body weight aqueous or methanol extracts of momordica plants had no educing effect on r the activity of ALP enzyme. Higher levels of ALT and AST in the diabetic rats are correlated to a high concentration of amino acids (glutamate and alanine) in diabetic rats due to stimulation of protein amino acids [24]. Hepatoprotective property of the fruit of this plant has been approved [25]. Various fractions (petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and chloroform) of methanol extract of the plant (150 mg/kg of rat body weight) reduce AST and ALT levels in the diabetic rats [17]. Momordica fruit juices and alcoholic extract lead to a high reduction in the levels of liver enzymes, and they have had protective effect on liver injury in the treated diabetic rats [26].
Suggestions
Different combinations of fruit of this plant should be analyzed and their effects on blood biochemical factors should be examined.
Limitations
Small amount of available plants and a few rats were of the limitations of the study.
Conclusions
Momordica extract is more effective on reducing blood glucose than methanol extract. In addition, the aqueous and methanol extracts of this plant significantly reduce the activity of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase enzymes.
Acknowledgments
The laboratory staffs of Islamic Azad University of Falavarjan are appreciated.
Conflict of interest
Non-declared
Ethical Permissions
The proposal of this research was ethically adopted and approved in the Committee on Research & Graduate Studies of Islamic Azad University of Falavarjan.
Funding Sources
This study was funded personally.

TABLES and CHARTS

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