Effects of momordica charantia fruit juice on experimental diabetes and its complications
type: CreativeWork
description: Momordica charantia fruit is traditionally used as a vegetable in the Indian subcontinent and is claimed to have hypoglycaemic effects in human and experimental diabetes. The oral administration of M. charantia fruit juice was investigated for its effects in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. The results of this study have revealed that the fruit juice administration reduced the blood glucose levels, improved glucose tolerance and increased blood insulin levels and body weights in STZ-induced diabetes in rats. However, the treatment of fruit juice did not completely normalize these parameters as the values were still significantly different from those of age-matched controls. The systolic blood pressure was significantly increased in diabetic animals when compared to untreated diabetic rats. The treatment of Lvi. charantia to diabetic animals completely prevented such an increase as the values were not significantly different from that of age-matched controls. The administration of M charantia to STZ-induced diabetic rats also reduced the absorption of glucose by the brush border of small intestine. A similar reduction in glucose uptake by muscle cells in vitro was also observed. In an immunohistochemical study of the pancreas on number and distribution of endocrine cells, a significant increase in the number of insulin positive cells was observed in Lvi charantia treated-diabetic animals as compared with untreated diabetic rats. However, their number was still significantly less than that obtained for control animals. The effect of M charantia treatment on myelinated fibre abnormalities in the tibial nerve of STZ- induced diabetic and control rats was also investigated. The mean cross-sectional myelinated fibres area (p C 0.03), axonal area (p C 0.02) and myelin area (p < 0.04) including the mean maximum myelinated fibres area (p C 0.03) were significantly reduced in untreated diabetic animals when compared with age-matched controls. In the M. charatia …
abstract: Momordica charantia fruit is traditionally used as a vegetable in the Indian subcontinent and is claimed to have hypoglycaemic effects in human and experimental diabetes. The oral administration of M. charantia fruit juice was investigated for its effects in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. The results of this study have revealed that the fruit juice administration reduced the blood glucose levels, improved glucose tolerance and increased blood insulin levels and body weights in STZ-induced diabetes in rats. However, the treatment of fruit juice did not completely normalize these parameters as the values were still significantly different from those of age-matched controls. The systolic blood pressure was significantly increased in diabetic animals when compared to untreated diabetic rats. The treatment of Lvi. charantia to diabetic animals completely prevented such an increase as the values were not significantly different from that of age-matched controls. The administration of M charantia to STZ-induced diabetic rats also reduced the absorption of glucose by the brush border of small intestine. A similar reduction in glucose uptake by muscle cells in vitro was also observed. In an immunohistochemical study of the pancreas on number and distribution of endocrine cells, a significant increase in the number of insulin positive cells was observed in Lvi charantia treated-diabetic animals as compared with untreated diabetic rats. However, their number was still significantly less than that obtained for control animals. The effect of M charantia treatment on myelinated fibre abnormalities in the tibial nerve of STZ- induced diabetic and control rats was also investigated. The mean cross-sectional myelinated fibres area (p C 0.03), axonal area (p C 0.02) and myelin area (p < 0.04) including the mean maximum myelinated fibres area (p C 0.03) were significantly reduced in untreated diabetic animals when compared with age-matched controls. In the M. charatia …
author: Ahmed, Ijaz
language: en
keywords: C910 - Applied biological sciences
date published: 1999-07
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:36:06Z
provider: University of Central Lancashire
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Central Lancashire