Effects of Momordica Charantia (Bitter gourd) on Oxidative Stress and Pro-Inflammatory Marker in Metabolic Syndrome Using a High-Ffructose Diet Induced Rat Model
Breetha Subramani and Bhuvaneswari Krishnamurthy

Department of Pharmacology PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Peelamedu, Coimbatore – 641004, Tamilnadu, India.

Corresponding Author E-mail: breetha.sabari@gmail.com

Abstract: To understand the biological basis of the effect of Momordica charantia and also it’s effectiveness as a mono-therapy for metabolic syndrome. Thirty‑four adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing were divided into Groups I, II, III and IV having 10, 10, 8 and 6 animals respectively. Pellets with 66% fructose were fed to 28 animals [Groups I, II, III] while 6 normal control animals [Group IV] were fed with standard rat chow diet for 6 weeks. Later, for next 6 weeks, animals in Groups I, II and III were treated with M.charantia 300 mg/kg/day, and 600mg/kg/day and Standard treatment respectively. Serial measurements of body weight, BMI, fasting blood sugar, noninvasive blood pressure, serum lipid profile, LDA, SOD and serum NF-κB were assessed at the base line, at the end of 6 weeks of fructose diet and following treatment (12 weeks). Following induction, there was statistically significant increase in body weight, BMI, FBS, serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL, lipid derived aldehydes and serum NF-κB while there was reduction in HDL cholesterol and SOD compared to baseline values. Following treatment Group II and III shown reversal of the parameters to the level of normalization. M. charantia 600 mg/kg/day had exclusively matched the therapeutic efficacy of the standard therapy given in combination. The biological basis of the effects of M.charantia was by inhibiting the inflammatory pathway in metabolic syndrome both at the levels of ROS generation and transcription of pro-inflammatory marker NF-κB.

Keywords: Lipid Derived Aldehydes; Metabolic Syndrome; Momordica Charantia; Serum NF-κB

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