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Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences Vol. 7, No.

1, 1-5, 2011

ISSN: 1814-8085

EFFECT OF THE AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF MOMORDICA CHARANTIA ON BODY WEIGHT OF RATS


Farhat Bano, Naheed Akthar and Hajra Naz Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi Abstract Obesity is characterized by an excess of adipose tissue mass due to an imbalance between caloric intake and expenditure leading to increased body weight and clinical complications such as insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia. These complications not only increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases but are also responsible of certain types of cancer and osteoarthritis. A number of weight reducing drug are available in market, however they produce some serious adverse effects. Momordica charantia is one of the widely used traditional medicinal plants for loss of weight but scientific study has been carried out for that purpose. In this study the aqueous extract of Momordica charantia fruit was orally administered to overweight rats to assess the effect of the extract on body weight of rats. Five weeks treatment not only showed significant decrease in body weight of rats but there was also significant decrease in blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol however there was increase in HDL-cholesterol levels in serum. Keywords: Momordica charantia, obesity, lipid profile. INTRODUCTION Risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is 200% higher in diabetic population than non-diabetic individuals (Grundy et al., 2002) and coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death among diabetic patients (Wilson et al., 1998 and Guk et al., 1998). The increased risk of CHD in diabetic patients is partly attributable to higher prevalence of hypertension, obesity, cigarette smoking and dyslipidemia (Uusitupa et al., 1993). A large body of evidence has shown that high serum total cholesterol and LDL-C are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in the diabetic and non-diabetic population (Kannel et al., 1979 and Turner et al., 1998). Over 1000 herbal products have been used by various cultures to lower blood glucose and treat diabetes. Among them, Momordica charantia (family Cucurbitaceae), commonly known as kugua, karela, bitter gourd or bitter melon) is the most popular herbal resource (Marles & Farnsworth, 1995). Documentation on the pharmacologic properties of bitter melon (BM) dates back to the 16th century (Li et al., 1999). The hypoglycemic potential of BM has been demonstrated in normal and diabetic rats (Srivastava et al., 1988, Srivastava, et al., 1993, El Sattar, 2006 and Akhtar et al., 1981) and in patients with type 2 diabetes (Srivastava, et al., 1993, Li et al., 1999 and Gu et al., 1998). Momordica charantia extracts are currently used for the treatment of diabetes, dyslipidimia, microbial infection and rotationally as a cytotoxic agent for certain type of cancer (Umesh et al., 2005, Oisih et al., 2007 and Chaturvedi et al., 2004). The objective of this study was to determine the effect of aqueous extract of Momordica charantia on random blood sugar (RBS), low density lipoprotein (LDL), Triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (CHO), body weight and high density lipopoproten (HDL) level as compare to control. Preparation of Extract The fresh fruit of Momordica charantia were purchased from a local market and washed thoroughly with water. Thin pieces were dried under the sunlight. The dried fruit was powdered in the blender and soaked in water. The mixture was then filtered and the filtrate was stored for the study. MATERIALS AND METHODS Locally breed white albino Wister rats weighing about 280-300g (purchased from HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi) were caged individually in specifically designed cages in a quite room between 20-24oC with free access to water and standard rat food for at least 1 week before starting the experiment. Animals were divided in a group of control and test. To test animals, the Momordica charantia aqueous extract 2ml/day was given orally, daily for five weeks. The control animals were given the tap water. After five weeks of repeated administration of extract, animals were decapitated and the Serum was collected and stored at 70C for the estimation of biochemical parameters. All biochemical Parameters were determined by using respective kit on BTS330. Data were analyzed by

*Corresponding author: E-mail: farhatbano_2000@yahoo.com

J. basic appl. sci. structurally and pharmacologically similar to bovine insulin and is composed of two polpepide chain held together by disulfide bonds (Cunnick et al., 1993) pinsulin act as insulinomimetic agent which is hypoglycemic when given subcutaneously to human diabetics (Khanna et al., 1981) Momordica charantia increase glucose utilization by liver (Sarkar et al., 1996), decrease gluconeogenises via inhibition of two key enzyme glucose -6-phasphat and fructose -1,6 bisphosphatase and improve glucose oxidation through the shunt pathway by activating glucose -6-phasphate dehydrogenase (Shibib et al., 1993). The extract of Momordica charantia also enhances cellular uptake of glucose, promotes insulin release and potentates its effect (Yibchok-Anun et al., 2006 and Welihinda et al, 1982). Effect of Momordica charantia aqueous extract on lipid profile Five week oral administration of aqueous extract of Momordica charantia showed significant decrease in cholesterol (21% P<0.01), triglceride (20% P<0.01), LDL cholesterol (20% P<0.01) and increase in HDL (45% P<0.05) (Fig. 1). The cholesterol lowering component of Momordica charantia reduces liver secretion of Apolipoprotein B (Apo B) - the primary lipoprotein of low-density bad cholesterol is also reduce apolipoprotein C- III expression, the protein found in very-low density cholesterol which turns into LDL/bad cholesterol and increases the expression of Apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA1) the major protein component of high-density "good"

students t-test. A asterisks denoted a significant difference with the control (*P <0.05, **P>0.01). RESULTS The aqueous extract of Momordica charantia significantly reduce body weight (303 7.03 vs. 253.72 7.8 g), glucose levels (128.0 5. vs.103 3.5 mg/dl), Total cholesterol levels (120 4.0. vs.95 3.5 mg/dl), triglyceride levels (100 4 vs.81 3 mg/dl), LDLcholesterol levels (74 3. vs.33 0.4 mg/dl) and increase HDL-cholesterol levels (33 1.1. vs.39 0.5 mg/dl) DISCUSSION Effect of Momordica charantia on serum glucose Momordica charantia aqueous extract significantly decreases serum glucose level (17%, P<0.01) as compare to control (Fig. 1). Over the years, several mechanisms have been put forward to explain the hypoglycemic effect of Momordica charantia . For instance, a fraction that competitively inhibits intestinal glucose uptake has been identified (Meir & Yaniv, 1985). Others have shown that Momordica charantia extracts stimulated insulin release from isolated pancreatic islet cells (Welihinda et al., 1982, Ali et al., 1993). Research indicates the primary constituents responsible for the hypoglycemic properties of Momordica charantia are charantin, insulin like pepide (plant (p)-insulin), cucurbutanoids momordicin,and oleanolic acids (Harinantenaina etal.,2006).p-insulin is Test Control

20

15

mg/d
10

* * *

0 RBS CHO TG HDL LDL

Fig. 1. The aqueous extract of Momordica charantia reduces serum glucose (RBS), Cholesterol (CHO), triglyceride (TG), Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). Values are mean + S.D. (n = 10). Significant difference by t-test (*P <0.05, **P>0.01) from respective water treated rats.

Bano et al.

400
Intake(g)

300 200 100

**

Fig. 2. Percentage decrease in body weight after five weeks of treatment Momordica charantia aqueous extract Value are mean + S.D (n = 10). Significant difference by t-test (16 %,**P <0.01).

350

300 Wt.(g)

**

** ** **

250

200 initial 1st-week 2ndweek 3rd-week 4th-week

Fig. 3. The Effect of Momordica charantia aqueous extract on weekly rats body weight (g) value are mean + S.D (n=10) Significant difference by t-test (**P <0.01) from respective water treated rats.

cholesterol. It also lowers cellular triglyceride content (Ahmed et al., 1998). Others have reported lower triglyceride levels in plasma (Nerurkar et al., 2005). Momordica charantia fruit and/or seed have been shown to reduce total cholesterol, another factor in the development of metabolic syndrome. In one study, elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels in diabetic rats were returned to normal after 10 weeks of treatment. Chaturvedi et al., 2005 also confirmed that bitter melon extracts reduces triglyceride and low-density lipid (LDL) levels and increased high-density lipid (HDL) levels. Bitter melon exhibited a marked reduction in the hepatic total cholesterol and triglyceride levels both in the presence and absence of dietary cholesterol (Jayasooriya et al., 2000).

Effect of Momordica charantia aqueous extract on body weight Momordica charantia aqueous extract significantly decreases body weight (16 % P>0.01 (Figs. 2 and 3) Momordica charantia increase the activity of adenosine 5 monophosphate kinase (AMPK), an enzyme that facilitates cellular glucose uptake and fatty acid oxidation.Hypoglycemic agents in bitter melon promote efficient oxidation of glucose into fuel, and conversion into starch.Glycogen or animal starch a is stored in the liver and muscle cells. During glucose shortages, fats/fatty acids are used as fuel. Continued demand for energy in the absence or shortage of glucose causes fat cells to release their fat contents to maintain energy balance. This increased fatty acid oxidation eventually leads to weight loss (Qixuan Chen et al., 2003).

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